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BIRDIE AND HIS FAIRY FRIENDS. 





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THE DEW FAIRIES. — 6j. 






Birdie 

AND 

His Fairy Friends. 

A BOOK FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. 



MARGARET T. CANBY. 

II 


“ There was a time when meadow, grove and stream. 

The earth and every common sight. 

To me did seem 
Apparelled in celestial light. 

The glory and the freshness of a dream.” — Wordsworth, 



SECOND EDITION, 



PHILADELPHIA : 

PRESS OF WM. F. FELL & CO., 

1220-24 Sansom Street. 

1889. 

\A A ■ 


THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 
Two CoptBJi Received 

SEP. 5 1901 

XOPYRHJMT ENTRY 

CLASS CAJXXc. Ni*. 
COPY 3. I 


.CIS 

2 


Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by 
MARGARET T. CANBY, 

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, 


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CASPAR, 


AND TO MY NEPHEWS AND NIECES, 


THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED ; WITH THE HOPE THAT IT WILL 
SHOW THEM THE “ BEAUTY OF GENTLENESS; ” AND LEAD THEM, 
WITH THE HELP OF THEIR HOME FAIRIES, “ TO CHOOSE 
THE GOOD, AND REFUSE THE EVIL; ” UNTIL THEY ALL 
BECOME Good Fairies, and make the world 

BRIGHTER AND HAPPIER BY THEIR 

presence. 

April, 1873 . 






BIRDIE’S INTRODUCTION. 


FEAR my little friend, Birdie, will be frightened al 
meeting so many children at once ; so I will take 
his hand in mine, and help him through the tire- 
some business of being “ introducted.” I hope you will 
soon become well acquainted with each other, and then 
your shy glances will change to loving smiles, and the 
red lips, now shut so tightly, will unclose for pleasant words 
and merry laughter; so that you will feel like old friends 
to Birdie, and make him forget all about his alarm at seeing 
“ such a lot o’ children ! ” (Birdie made that remark ; he is 
finding out how to open his lips, you see.) 

Well, Birdie, to begin with the least, you may first speak 
to the six little cousins, who are playing so nicely with 
blocks, and a Noah’s Ark, in this corner ; but as they are 

vii 



Introduction, 


viii 

only babies yet, and love to play with toys more than to 
read books, we cannot stop long to see them, just now. 

For here is a group of little girls who wish to speak to 
you. Birdie ; little girls who love to read, or hear story-books, 
and who will, I think, be pleased with the stories we are 
going to tell them. See, when they stand in a row, they 
make a regular set of steps, beginning with little May’s 
curly head, and going up to tall Carrie’s smooth locks. What 
do you say. Birdie ? “You don’t think they look much like 
the stairs ? ’’ Well, they don’t look very much like them, it 
is true; for stairs have not such round, rosy cheeks, and 
bright eyes ; nor such plump, soft hands, ready to take 
yours, and welcome you so warmly to their homes. 

Ah ! they must know that you have something pleasant 
to tell them, and they are trying to drive away all your shy- 
ness by their kind greeting, as good little girls always do ; 
they shall each have a kiss and a smile, but they cannot 
coax us to tell them our secret just yet ; can they. Birdie ? 

For, next, you must speak to the boys a few minutes ; you 
need not be afraid, or hold my hand so tightly, for they are 
glad to see you, and will be very kind to you, although all 
but two are such “ big fellows ! ’’ (why, Birdie, you ought 
to say “ large boys,’’ my dear.) It is not very long since 


Introduction. 


ix 


they were just your size, and they have heard of you occa- 
sionally, and will show you that they can treat their little 
visitor politely, I am sure. 

But we cannot stop to talk so much, for we have a great 
deal to do to-day, and have come on purpose to show you 
all, — now for the secret! — a new book, just brought from 
the printer and bookbinder. And who do you think it tells 
about ? Why, about our little friend Birdie, and his won- 
derful adventures with the fairies, and some other events in 
his short but happy life. 

Ah ! he has run off to play with the little ones ; but while 
he is away, I can tell you something more about him, for 
he is a shy little rogue, and does not like to be looked at 

Birdie is a great friend of mine. I love him for his bright 
blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and dimpled smile ; but still more, 
because he is, generally, very good and gentle ; and I think 
that is the reason the fairies love him, and come to see him 
sometimes. 

Birdie lives in a cosy little cottage in the country, with a 
porch in front, almost covered with roses and vines, while 
the large trees around the house shade it, and keep it cool 
all day. On one side of the house there is a pretty garden, 
filled with lovely flowers, and small fruit-trees and bushes ; 


X 


Introdiution. 


and when the flowers are all in bloom, and the fruit is ripe, 
the garden is a very pleasant place to play in. Then there 
is an apple-orchard beyond the garden, and still farther on, 
there are the woods, where Birdie loves to pick wild-flowers ; 
and a pretty stream, to sail boats in, runs through the mead- 
ow among old trees ; so that Birdie has many nice places 
to play in, although he has not many playmates, except his 
kitten and his fairy friends, whose stories are told in this 
book. Well, in this cottage Birdie has lived with his kind 
parents, and good old Nancy and Thomas, ever since he can 
remember ; and — but, hush ! here he comes, acting “ pony ” 
for little Caspar, who has tied a pair of reins and some 
sleigh-bells around Birdie’s waist, and seems very well 
pleased with his merry playmate. 

Now, dear children, come close around us, and be very 
quiet and attentive, while Birdie shows you the pretty pic- 
tures, and I read to you about his adventures with the fairies, 
beginning with a happy day Birdie spent, one summer, with 
THE ROSE FAIRIES: 




PAGB 

The Rose Fairies 13 

The Sunbeam Fairies . . 23 

Part Second — “ Little Crosspatch.” -39 

Birdie’s Garden 44 

The Dew Fairies 59 

The Fruit Fairies 71 

Birdie’s Search for a Fairy ; 94 

The Frost Fairies no 

The Fountain Fairies 123 

Birdie’s Birthday Party 141 

The Winter Fairies 156 

Part Second — “A Ride with Santa Claus.” . . .168 

The Christmas Fairies 174 



XI 



THE DEW FAIRIES. Frontispiece. i/ 

PAGE 


A DAY WITH THE ROSE FAIRIES i8 

BIRDIE’S WALK IN THE WOODS 33 

THE CHILDREN’S FRIGHT 100 ^ 

BIRDIE’S BAND OF SOLDIERS 149 

KING WINTER AND THE FROST FAIRIES 165 




THE ROSE FAIRIES. 

pleasant morning little Birdie might have 
tn seen, sitting quietly on the grass-plat 
the side of his mother’s house, looking 
very earnestly at the rose-bushes. 

It was quite early ; great Mr. Sun, who is such an 
early riser in summer-time, had not been up very 
long; the birds were just beginning to chirp their 
“ good mornings ” to each other ; and as for the 
flowers, they were still asleep. But Birdie was so 
busy all day, trotting about the house and garden, 
that he was always ready for h's nest at night, before 
the birds and flowers had thought of seeking theirs ; 

2 n 



14 


The Rose Fairies, 


and so it came to pass, that when Mr. Sun raised his 
head above the green woods, and smiled lovingly 
upon the earth. Birdie was often the first to see him, 
and to smile back at him, all the while rubbing his 
eyes with his dimpled fists, until, between smiling and 
rubbing, he was wide awake. 

And what do you think he did next ? Why the 
little rogue rolled into his mamma’s bed, and kissed 
her eyelids, her cheeks, and her mouth, until she be- 
gan to dream that it was raining kisses ; and at last 
she opened her eyes to see what it all meant, and 
found that it was Birdie, trying to “ kiss her awake,” 
as he said. 

She loved her little boy very dearly, and liked to 
make him happy, and when he said, “ Please dress 
me, dear mamma, and let me go out to play in the 
garden,” she cheerfully consented ; and soon after. 
Birdie went down-stairs, in his morning-dress of cool 
linen, and witn his round face bright and rosy from 
its bath, and ran out on the gravel path, to play until 
breakfast was ready. 


The Rose Fairies. 


15 


He stood still a moment to look about him, and 
think what he should do first. The fresh morninof 
air blew softly in his face, as if to welcome him, and 
be his merry playmate ; and the bright eye of Mr. 
Sun looked at him with a warm and glowing smile ; 
but Birdie soon walked on to find something to play 
with. As he came in sight of the rose-bushes that 
grew near the side of the house, he suddenly clapped 
his hands, and with a little shout of joy, stopped to 
look at them ; they were all covered with lovely rose- 
buds. Some were red, some white, and others pale 
pink, and they were just peeping out of the green 
leaves, as rosy-faced children peep out from their 
warm beds in winter-time, before they are quite will- 
ing to get up. A few days before, Birdie’s papa had 
told him that the “ green balls ” on the rose-bushes 
had beautiful flowers shut up within them ; but the 
little boy found it hard to believe, for he was so young 
that he did not remember how pretty the roses had 
been the summer before. Now he found out that his 
father’s words were true, for a few days of warm 


The Rose Fairies. 


i6 

weather had turned the “ green balls ” into rose-buds, 
and they were so beautiful that it was enough to make 
Birdie stand still before them, his blue eyes dancing 
with delight, and his little hands clasped tightly to- 
gether. 

After awhile he went nearer, and looking closely at 
the buds, found that they were folded up, leaf over leaf, 
as eyelids are folded over sleeping eyes, so that Birdie 
thought they must be asleep. “ Lazy roses, wake 
up,” said he, giving the branches a gentle shake ; but 
only the dew fell off in bright drops, and the flowers 
were still shut up. At last Birdie remembered how 
he had awakened his mother with kisses, and thought 
he would try the same plan with the roses ; so he 
drew up his red lips until they looked like a rose-bud 
too, and bending down a branch with a lovely pink 
bud upon it, he kissed it softly two or three times. 

And what do you think happened then ? Some- 
thing very wonderful, indeed. As the little boy took 
his hand from the branch, it flew back to its place, the 
pink rose-bud slowly unfolded its leaves, one by one, 


The Rose Fairies. 


17 


and in the midst of it there seemed to be a beautiful 
little fairy — a lovely* little fairy lady, dressed in pink 
silk, with a wreath of tiny pink roses on her head. 
1 here she sat in the midst of the rose, bowing, and 
nodding and smiling at Birdie, as if to thank him for 
his kindness, in letting her out of her green prison 
into the warm air and bright sunshine of the morning. 

The graceful little creature soon began dancing 
and swaying on the slender bough, as if she were in a 
swing, while her beautiful robes fluttered in the breeze, 
and she looked so light and airy, that Birdie thought 
she would fly away, and was afraid to look around, 
lest he should lose sight of his wonderful new play- 
mate. But when, at last, he glanced at the other buds, 
he could hardly believe his own eyes, for he saw that 
nearly all had opened, and that in each one stood a 
little fairy, just like the first he had discovered, except 
that some wore dresses of red silk, with wreaths of 
tiny red roses on their hair, and others were in pure 
white, with white wreaths. 

Was not that a wonderful and beautiful sight for a 

2* B 


i8 


The Rose Fairies. 


little boy to see ? Indeed it was ; and Birdie was so 
astonished to find himself surrcginded by fairies, that 
he drew back in his surprise, still keeping his eyes 
upon the rose-bushes, and never thinking where he 
was going, until he suddenly tripped against the edge 
of the grass-plat, and sat down plump on the soft 
grassy bank. 

There he sat perfectly still for a long time, with his 
hands on his knees and his eyes wide open, watching 
the dainty rose fairies, as they danced and swayed 
about on the graceful sprays of the rose-trees, nod- 
ding, and smiling, and waving their hands, while their 
bright dresses fluttered in the breeze, and their sweet 
breath seemed to fill the garden. Birdie was delighted 
with his lovely little friends, but felt afraid to move, 
lest he should frighten them away ; and so he sat 
very still, looking at them so long and steadily, that 
at last he could hardly tell which were fairies, and 
which were roses. 

He did not hear the ringing of the breakfast-bell, 
nor did he once think of being hungry ; but after 





A DAY WITH THE ROSE FAIRIES. — i8, 






/ 


The Rose Fairies, 


19 


awhile he heard a step on the path, and looking up, 
saw his mother coming to find him. “Oh, mamma!” 
he exclaimed, earnestly, though in a low tone, “ don't 
say anything ; please don’t come here ; you will 
frighten them all away ! ” he added, as his mother 
came nearer, to see what he was doing ; then, looking 
back at the roses, and not seeing the fairies any 
more, he ran to his mamma, with his eyes full of tears, 
and said, “ Oh, dear ! they ’re all gone. I thought 
they were ’fraid of big people ; oh, I ’m so sorry,” 
and the tears rolled over his cheeks as he spoke. 

Although his mother could not quite understand 
the cause of his grief, _she did not reprove him, for 
she knew that little children have their troubles and 
sorrows as well as grown persons ; so she took him 
up in her arms, and tried to comfort him with loving 
words, as they went in to breakfast. Poor Birdie 
said he could not eat anything ; but when he saw the 
nice bowl of bread and milk waiting for him, with his 
own little spoon standing in it, he concluded to taste 
it ; and after that, it was not long before every drop 


20 


The Rose Fairies, 


of bread and milk was gone, and the bowl stood 
empty, with only a spoon in it. Birdie’s mamma said, 
when she saw it, “ Why, that looks like the little, wee 
bear’s bowl of porridge, after Golden-hair had tasted 
it, and found that it was neither too hot nor too cold, 
but just right T' This made Birdie laugh, for he 
knew the story of the “ Three Bears ” very well. 

Then his mother said, “What did my little boy see 
in the rose-bushes, to keep him quiet so long?” And 
Birdie told her, as well as he could, about the beau- 
tiful little fairies that danced on the roses, and seemed 
to be nodding and smiling at him ; and that he was 
trying to keep “wery kiet,” {his way of saying very 
quiety) lest he should frighten them all away ; “ but 
they flew away when you came, mamma, and I 'spect 
I’ll never see ’em any more,” he concluded, sadly, 
while the tears nearly rolled over again. 

His kind mother soon thought of a way to comfort 
him, for she told him cheerfully, that although the 
fairies seemed to be afraid of “big people,” she 
thought they would not go far away from her garden, 


The Rose Fairies. 


21 


where they had so many sweet roses to sleep in at 
night, and such a gentle little boy to play with in the 
daytime. “Perhaps, Birdie,” continued his mother, 
“ the pretty little rose fairies have taken the shape 
of butterflies and moths, or even honey-bees, so that 
they can fly about all day, from flower to flower, with- 
out being noticed by grown persons, or naughty boys, 
who might hurt them ; you can run out in the garden 
now, dear, and see if you cannot find some fairies in that 
shape.” This thought pleased Birdie very much, and 
kissing his mamma “good-bye,” as she tied on his 
straw hat, he hurried out to the garden, to look for 
his fairy friends. 

Do you think he found them ? / think so ; for the 

roses were full of pretty white moths, and beautiful 
butterflies with red wings, and they fluttered and 
danced about, in and out among the roses, very much 
as the fairies had done ; so that Birdie felt sure 
that his mother was right, and that the fairies had 
not left his garden. 

He spent the day very happily, watching the pretty 


22 


The Rose Fairies, 


butterflies, and running about to keep them in sight, 
as they flew from one sweet flower to another. He 
did not try to catch them, or make any noise to 
frighten them, for he loved the happy little things, 
and would not have hurt them for the world ; and 
they were not afraid of Birdie, but came close to him 
sometimes, and flew around him merrily ; and one 
little young moth even lit on his cheek for a moment, 
taking it for a rose, perhaps, it was so smooth and 
red. 

As Birdie was so gentle and loving, the fairies, or 
butterflies, soon learned to love him, and stayed in 
the garden all day playing with the good little boy, 
and leading him a merry chase through the grounds, 
until at last he was so tired that he dropped asleep 
on the grass, before the fairies had gone back to 
their beds in the soft roses ; his papa carried him up- 
stairs to his little crib, and thus ended Birdie’s day with 


THE ROSE FAIRIES. 



THE SUNBEAM FAIRIES. 

was a warm, sunny morning in spring, when 
lur little friend Birdie begged his mother to 
ake a walk in the woods, “ to see if the wild 
flowers were awake yet.” * 

His mother was willing to go, but said that Birdie 
would have to wait a little while, as she had some- 
thing to attend to before she could go. It was hard 
for such a little boy to wait patiently ; but he thought 
the time would not seem so long if he was busy, so 
he began putting his toy-closet in order, and soon 
became so much interested, that he was quite sur- 
prised when his mother came in, all ready for their 

walk. She looked at his closet, and told him he was 

23 



24 


The Sunbeam Fairies, 


a good boy, to put his playthings in such nice 
order, and then said, “You have been so quiet and 
patient, Birdie, that I had time to make some cakes, 
and we will take a few with us to eat on the way.” 

Birdie then put on his hat, and his mamma gave 
him a little basket to carry, saying, as they went out 
of the front gate, “We will go to the barn first, and 
give papa some cakes.” 

“ Oh, yes, leT s! ” cried Birdie, with such a hop-skip- 
and-jump, that the cakes rattled in the basket as if 
they were jumping too, and his mother said, 

“ Take care, my boy ; if you let the cakes hop out 
into the mud, they will look like the mud-pies you 
make sometimes.” 

• This made Birdie laugh, and take his mother’s hand, 
saying, “ I ’ll be quiet now, mamma ; but I ’m so happy, 
I ’d like to fly.” 

By this time they had reached the big gate which 
led into the barnyard, and as they went in, xA.lice, the 
pretty colt, came running to meet them, neighing and 
tossing her mane. Birdie felt a little afraid, and drew 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


^5 


back ; but his mother said, “ Alice is glad to see us 
again ; come and give her a cake, dear.” 

The colt was quiet now, bending down her head to 
be stroked and patted, and when Birdie held out a 
cake, she took it gently from his hand, and began 
eating it as if she thought it very good, nodding her 
head as if to thank him. 

They left Alice looking over the gate, and went on 
to the barn, where they found Birdie’s father at work ; 
he called out, “ Who comes here ? ” 

“ A grenadier! ” answered Birdie, trying to look tall, 
as he marched in with the basket on his arm. 

“ And what have you brought me ? a pot of beer ? ” 
asked his father. 

“Something better than that,” said his mother; “we 
have brought you some nice, fresh cakes for lunch.” 

“ And we are going to the woods to look for flow- 
ers, and to eat cakes on the way, and I ’most made 
mud-pies out of the cakes, and I gave Alice one,” 
said Birdie, almost out of breath, when he had finished 
his speech, which was somewhat of a jumble. 

3 


26 


The Stinbeam Fames. 


“Why, young man, you have quite a lot of news 
to tell me," said his father, laughing ; “ I should like 
to go with you to call on the flowers ; but I am too 
busy, so you must bring some back for me." 

“Yes, we will, papa," said the child ; and then bid- 
ding good-bye with a kiss, he and his mother started 
again for the woods. 

They went down the road a short distance, and 
then turned into the apple orchard. Birdie’s quick 
eye soon caught sight of the flowers on the trees, and 
he exclaimed, “ Oh, mamma, just look at those little 
roses ; how did they get ’way up on the trees ? ’’ 

“They are apple blossoms, dear, not roses," said 
she ; and pulling down a branch, she picked a spray 
for the little boy to look at. The buds were round 
and pink, almost like little berries ; but the open 
flowers were pink outside, and white within. Birdie 
was delighted with them, and wanted to pick “a whole 
lot to take to papa ; ’’ but his mother told him if the 
blossoms were taken off, the bright red apples would 
not grow ; but that he should gather, in the woods, as 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


27 


many flowers as he chose ; and Birdie did not ask 
again for the apple blossoms, as he thought his mother 
knew best. 

As they went on, they saw the pretty bluebirds 
flying from tree to tree, and they heard a robin 
whistling merrily; once they saw a little squirrel run 
along upon the top of the fence, and sit still for a 
moment on a post to look around ; but as soon as it 
saw them, it was off like a flash. When they reached 
the fence they found some of the bars down, and 
went through into the woods ; and after scrambling 
over some stones and briers, they came out on a grassy 
hillside, with tall trees growing on it, and the bright 
sunshine streaming through the branches, not yet in 
their summer dress of green leaves. 

“ Now look. Birdie,” said his mother, as they stood , 
still under the trees. 

And well might he look about him, silent with won- 
der and delight, his rosy face dimpling with smiles at 
the beautiful sight before him. The ground was cov- 
ered with wild flowers — they peeped up at his feet. 


28 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


grew in rings around the trees, clustered together in 
the grass, and seemed to be everywhere. 

It was such a warm, sunny spot that all the spring 
flowers grew there — bunches of blue innocence, deli- 
cate white windflowers, and pale anemones nodded 
above the dry leaves ; the snowy blossoms of the 
blood-root and th^ dainty, striped spring-beauty were 
side by side, while now and then some nearly violets 
looked out from among their green leaves, or a bright 
yellow strawberry blossom peeped up, smiling. 

“ You see the sunshine has awakened all the flowers, 
Birdie,” said his mother, when they had looked at 
them for some time without speaking. 

“ Yes, indeed,” said the child ; “ and such a many ! I 
didn’t know there were so many flowers in the world.” 

“Ah, my boy,” replied the mother, “ there are many 
beautiful things in the world, and I hope you will al- 
ways try to see and praise them, that others may 
learn to love them.” 

“ I do love the pretty flowers, mamma ; but I ’d like 
to pick a few,” said Birdie ; “ will it hurt ’em if I take 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


29 


some home to papa? ’Cause I said I would,” he 
continued, looking up earnestly into his mother’s 
face. 

“ No, darling ; it will not hurt them,” his mother 
answered; “you know I said you might gather as 
many as you wanted in the woods.” 

“Oh, that’s good!” exclaimed the little boy; and 
then he sprang forward, and was soon in the midst 
of the sweet flowers, carefully picking some of each 
kind, and often running to show them to his mother, 
who was resting on a log. At last he came to her 
with a bunch of violets and spring-beauties in his 
hand, and said, “Just look at these lovelies, mamma! 
Now I think I have enough for papa;” and 

seemed, after his merry ramble, quite ready to sit 
down and rest, while they finished the cakes. 

His mamma put the flowers into the little basket, 
telling Birdie they would not fade so quickly there 
as if he carried them ; and while she was arranging 
them, she said, “ Everything seems to be waking from 
its long winter sleep to-day, and all look bright and 
3 * 


30 


The Sunbeam Fairies, 


happy, as if to thank God for taking care of them so 
kindly through the cold days.” 

“Yes, and we’re happy, too,” said Birdie; “and 
when I say my prayers to-night, Fm going to say 
‘ thank you,’ to God, for all these pretty flowers.” 
His mother patted his wise little head, and said that 
was right; and then Birdie, who was never quiet 
very long, said, “ Did you ever go out in the 
woods and pick flowers when you were a little boy, 
mamma? ” 

“ When I was a little girl, I did,” answered his 
mother, with a smile. “ Many a happy day have I 
spent in the woods, and once I thought I saw some 
fairies there.” 

“ Oh, do tell me about it, mamma dear ; just a little, 
while we rest here — it would be so nice,” said the 
little boy, his eyes dancing with delight at the thought 
of hearing a fairy tale. 

“We must go soon, dear,” answered his mother ; 
“ but perhaps we ’ll have time for a short story, and 
then we shall have to go home.” 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


31 


“Yes ’em, we will,” said Birdie, “ as soon as you get 
done the story.” 

“Well,” said his mamma, “when I was a little girl, 
I went out in the woods one fine spring day to look 
for flowers.” 

“ All by yourself? ” asked Birdie. 

“ No, my brothers were with me. We were going 
to take up some flower-roots to put in our little gar- 
dens at home. The boys had small spades and bas- 
kets to carry the plants in, and what do you think / 
took ? ” 

“ Some cakes, I guess,” said Birdie, who was still 
busy with his lunch. 

“No, pet,” said his mother; “I took a bag to put 
nuts in. My brothers laughed at me, and said the 
squirrels had carried off all the nuts by that time; 
but I said I knew I could find some, and I would take 
the bag.” 

“ Did you get any nuts in it ? ” asked Birdie. 

“ You shall hear, little chatter-box, if you will be 
quiet,” said his mamma, beginning again : “When we 


32 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


reached the woods, we were delighted to find the 
ground covered with flowers in full bloom ; and we 
picked some bunches to take home to our mother, 
and then the boys said they would go to work and 
dig up roots. ‘You go look for your nuts, Bessie,’ 
they said to me; ‘and if your bag gets so full you 
can’t lift it, call us to help you.’ I ran off in a hurry, 
for I did not like to be teased ; and when I came to 
the old chestnut-tree, where we had gathered nuts in 
the autumn, I went to work very busily. I took a 
stick and turned over the burrs, and knocked some 
open to find the nuts ; but after looking all around 
the tree, and getting very tired and hot, and pricking 
my fingers with the burrs, without finding a single 
good nut, I began to think my brothers were right, 
and that the squirrels had taken all the nuts.” 

“ Naughty squirrels,” exclaimed Birdie, “ to take all 
the nuts away from poor little mamma.” 

“ Oh, that is all they have for food, dear,” answered 
his mother ; “ but I did not know it then, and felt al- 
most ready to cry, and sat down on a rock, looking 


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BIRDIE’S WALK IN THE WOODS. — jj. 


The Sunbearn Fairies, 


33 


very cross, I ’m afraid. I wondered why nuts did not 
last all the year, and whether any more would grow 
on the tree ; and that made me look up into the tall 
tree, stretching its great branches far above my head ; 
and through the boughs I saw the blue sky, looking 
so smiling that I felt ashamed of my cross feelings, 
and said aloud, ‘ I ’m going to be happy and good, if 
I can't find nuts.’ After that I felt much better, and 
looked about me at the trees and bushes, and then at 
the little flowers growing amid the grass, and I was 
surprised to see how beautiful and bright everything 
seemed to me. Do you know why it was. Birdie ? ” 

“ No, mamma ; why ? ” said the little boy. 

“ Because I was good-natured then, and felt bright 
and happy ; that wdiS the reason I could see the beauty 
of the sweet spring flowers, which I hardly noticed 
when I was giving way to ill-temper. I wondered who 
had planted all those lovely flowers, and who took care 
of them ; and then I thought of the fairies, and said 
to myself, ‘ I do believe they are the fairies’ flowers.’ 
Just then I heard a little rustling not far off, and on 
c 


34 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


looking around, what should I see but a troop of tiny 
fairies flying through the wood. Some wore long, 
floating robes of pure white ; others wore robes of 
blue or pale pink, and some had cloaks of green, that 
seemed to be made of leaves ; but all had wings of 
shining gold, so fine and thin I could almost see 
through them ; and yet they seemed strong, for the 
fairies flew about very quickly, and fluttered their 
wings in the sunlight, until I was almost dazzled with 
their brightness. 

“ They did not notice me at all ; and I sat there on 
the rock, with my head resting on my hand, hardly 
daring to breathe, lest I should frighten them away 
before I could see what they were doing. 

“Very busy and active were the little creatures. 
They flew about among the flowers, and worked as 
hard as they could at their pleasant task. Some 
pulled the dead leaves away from the young plants, 
and carried off the dry twigs and sticks that had blown 
down in the winter ; but the fairies were so small that 
it took two or three to carry off an oak-leaf, and a 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


35 


dozen of them could hardly lift some of the sticks. 
Some tried to loosen the earth around the flower-roots, 
and brought water in their tiny leaf buckets to pour 
upon the plants ; others fluttered over the sleeping 
flowers, fanning them with their glittering wings, and 
singing,— 

‘ Idle flow’ rets, ope your eyes, 

The Sunbeam Fairies bid you rise ! ’ 

“ As they sang, the flowers seemed to spring up at 
their call, and to throw back their green hoods, lifting 
up their lovely faces to meet the bright smiles of their 
fairy friends, who would bend down to kiss them, and 
then go floating away through the wood, to awaken 
more blossoms into life and beauty. I heard no cross 
words, and saw no frowning looks ; but all were gentle 
and happy, and went singing on their way, seeming 
to know their duty, and to rejoice in doing it. 

“ I watched them for a long time, and felt as if I 
should never tire of seeing these pretty little creatures 
tending the flowers ; but at last I was startled by feel- 
ing a hand on my shoulder, and then my brother’s 


36 


The Sunbeam Fairies, 


voice said, ‘ Why, Bessie ! I believe you have been 
asleep in the warm sunshine, just like a little pussy- 
cat’ 

“ I jumped up, and rubbed my eyes, looking around 
for the fairies, as I answered pleasantly, ‘No indeed, 
brother ; I ’ve been watching the sweetest little 
fairies, and I ’m so sorry they have gone away before 
you saw them.’ But my brother laughed, and said, 
‘ Oh, you ’ve been dreaming, Bessie ; I did not see any 
fairies, and I came up very quietly.’ 

“ I could see no sign of my bright friends then, 
either; but I concluded they had flown away to 
another part of the wood ; however, I made up my 
mind to be good-natured, and only said, ‘Well, I ’ve 
had a lovely time, anyhow ; ’ and then we went 
home. 

“ My brothers saw that I did not mind their fun and 
teasing, so they did not say much about my nuts, 
though they saw by the empty bag hanging over my 
arm, that I had not found any. As soon as we 
reached home, I ran to the nursery, where my mother 


The Su7tbeam Fairies. 


37 


was, and told her all about the fairies, as well as 1 
could. She did not laugh at me, but said it must 
have been a beautiful sight, and she would like to see 
it too ; then she said, ‘ I hope you have brought a 
Sunbeam Fairy home with you, my child.’ ‘Why, 
I could not, mother,’ said I ; ‘ they would not let me 
touch them ; and as soon as the boys spoke to me, 
they flew away as quick as lightning.’ My mother 
smiled, and said, ‘ I think you have brought me a Sun- 
beam Fairy, for all that, my darling.’ And then she 
drew me close to her, and said, ‘ My little daughter 
looked rather gloomy and frowning as she left home ; 
but she has come back so bright and smiling, that I 
think the fairies must have charmed away all the 
clouds. You must try always to copy your little 
friends, and shed smiles, like sunshine, on all around 
you.’ Then she read me a funny little story, which 
amused me very much, — perhaps I will read it to you. 
Birdie, some time, — and after this pleasant hour with 
my kind mother, I determined to try always to be 
happy and cheerful ; and whenever I felt inclined to 
4 


38 


The Smibeam Fairies, 


be cross or fretful, I would think of the Sunbeam 
Fairies, and try to be like them.” 

“And so you are, dear mamma! ” exclaimed Birdie, 
earnestly ; “ your eyes always look sunshiny to me.” 

“And to meytooi' said a deep voice behind them, 
which came so suddenly that it made Birdie start, and 
tumble off the log he had been sitting on ; but he fell 
on the soft grass, and rolled over, laughing, to see 
who ' it was, when he found out that his father had 
come to look for them, as it was nearly time for dinner. 

“This little rogue coaxed me into telling him a 
story,” said the mother, “and so we have stayed too 
long in the woods.” 

Then Birdie gave the basket of flowers to his father, 
who said they were very pretty ; then tossing the little 
boy up on his shoulder, they went home through the 
apple orchard, where the flowers were blooming and 
the birds singing. Birdie’s head was as high as some 
of the branches, and his mother said his rosy face 
“ looked like a bright red apple, with a straw hat on ; ” 
so they had a merry walk, and soon reached home. 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


39 


PART SECOND. 



HAT evening, after Birdie had taken a little 


-L nap on the lounge, to rest from his long walk, 
and had eaten his supper very quietly and thought- 
fully, he drew his small arm-chair close to his mother’s 
side, and looking up with a smile, said, “ Don’t you 
’member, mamma ? ” 

“ Remember what, darling ? ” inquired his mother, 
wondering what the child could mean. 

“ Why, about that funny story you were going to 
read me some time ; is n’t it some time now, mamma ? 
for I ’d like to hear it ’fore you forget about it,” he 
answered, in such a pleading voice, that his father 
laughed, and said, — 

“You might as well tell that story, mamma, for 
some one else will ‘ ’member ’ about it, if you don’t ; 
I should like to hear it too, and I ’ll be ‘ wery kiet^ and 
not interrupt you once, if you will read it to us.” 

Then Birdie’s eyes danced with delight, for he knew 


40 


The Sunbeam Fames, 


that his father was agreeing with him, although he did 
ask in such a queer way. 

The mother said she had not intended to read a 
piece of nonsense to such a large boy ; but as he had 
made such promises of good behavior, she would in- 
dulge him this time, having no doubt that he would 
beg leave to be absent from the next reading. Then 
she went to her writing-desk, and taking out a folded 
paper, she sat down near the light, and began to read 
the story of 

‘‘LITTI.E CROSSPATCH.” 

There was a little maiden. 

Who sat beneath the trees, 

And heard the blackbirds chirping, 

And the buzzing of the bees j 
And yet this little Crosspatch did nothing else but cry I 

There came a gentle bluebird, 

And singing sweet and low, 

He said, “ My little darling. 

Don’t cry and whimper so ; ” 

But the silly little Crosspatch did nothing else but cry ! 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


41 


There came a yellow bumble-bee, 

A bumble-bee of size, 

Who said, My lovely maiden. 

Do wipe your weeping eyes; ” 

But still the little Crosspatch did nothing else but cry I 

Then came an ugly crow-bird, — 

As black as night that crow, — 

And said, “ Oh, naughty maiden. 

With me you ’ll have to go ! 

There ’s no use saying no ! 

For you really have to go. 

And learn, my little Crosspatch, to do better things than cry ! ** 

He took her by the apron-strings 
And sailed her through the air. 

And right into a crow’s nest 

He plumped her fair and square ; 

And silly little Crosspatch was too frightened then to cry ! 

Then on the little crow-birds 
She had to wait all day. 

And find for them the restless moth. 

And active flies of May, 

And busy little Crosspatch found then no time to cry. 

4 * 


42 


The Sunbeam Fairies. 


At last she grew so gentle, — 

As good as she could be, — 

And curtsied, smiling sweetly. 

To each creature she did see ; 

So no one called her Crosspatch, or ever heard her cry ! 

Then Crow took up her apron-strings. 

And sailed her through the air. 

And right into her own dear home 
He plumped her fair and square ; 

And her mother found that Crosspatch had forgotten how to cry! 

This funny little song amused Birdie, and he had 
many questions to ask about the little crows and 
their nest, and at last decided that “ it would n’t be a 
bit nice ” to be treated like poor little Crosspatch. 

“You must be very good and quiet then. Birdie,” 
said his mother, “ and never cry or scream when you 
get hurt, for fear Mr. Crow should hear you, and take 
you sailing through the air.” 

“ Come and see what I am doing, my man,” said 
his father, who had been drawing something at the 
other side of the table. Birdie soon climbed upon a 


The Sunbeam FaiHes, 


43 


chair beside his father, and saw a picture of a rough 
crow’s-nest in the branches of a tree, with three or 
four hungry-looking young crows in it; on a branch 
above the nest sat the mother, or “ Mrs. Crow,” while 
on a still higher branch sat old “ Mr. Crow,” bending 
over, as if just ready to pounce down upon little 
Crosspatch, and carry her up to his nest, to wait on 
his troublesome children. 

Birdie studied the picture very earnestly, and said 
at last, “ I s’pose the little girl what cried so is down 
at the foot of that tree.” 

“Yes,” said his father, “and old Mr. Crow came 
whirring down, flapping his wings, and saying, ‘ Caw ! 
caw! caw!’ and seized her by the apron, just so! 
and down came a hand on Birdie’s back so suddenly, 
that he screamed with surprise, and then laughed 
merrily at his papa pretending to be old Mr. Crow. 



BIRDIE’S GARDEN. 



since Birdie’s walk in the woods, when 
nother had told him of her little garden, 
lad been wishing to have one for himself ; 
his mother promised to give him a piece of ground, 
and help him plant it with flowers, as soon as the 
weather became warm and dry enough for him to be 
out of doors all day. It seemed a long time to our 
little friend before the rain stopped falling, and the 
dark clouds blowing over the sky, and he sometimes 
said, “Summer will never but at last the warm 

sunshine greeted him day after day, the grass began 
to turn green, and summer had really come. 



44 


Birdie s Garden, 


45 


Then his mother said to him, early one morning, 
“ Now is the time for your garden, my boy ; you have 
been quite patient, and deserve to be rewarded. Let 
me tie on your broad straw hat, and then you can 
take your wheelbarrow out on the path, while I get 
a trowel, and we will go to work.” 

No sooner said than done, for Birdie was ready in 
a moment, and was trundling out his wheelbarrow 
before his mother could turn around ; but he did not 
mind waiting out of doors, where all was so bright 
and pleasant. He picked some dandelions and wild 
violets out of the grass, and then went to the poultry- 
yard, to take a look at the hens and chickens, and had 
almost forgotten his garden, when he heard his mother 
calling him. He ran to her, and found her waiting 
at the back door, with her garden-hat and gloves. 
“ Forward, march ! ” said she, and Birdie seized his 
wheelbarrow, and followed her. 

They went down the wide gravel-walk that ran 
through the garden, bordered on each side by flower- 
beds. Some of the plants were covered with flowers. 


46 


Birdie s Garden. 


the rose-buds were beginning to open, and the lilacs 
nodded their sweet purple blossoms above, while 
heart’s-ease and mignonette were blooming nearer 
the ground. Birdie said he hoped his flowers would 
be as pretty, and his mother said she thought they 
would, if he took good care of them. 

Near the end of the garden, a narrow path crossed 
the middle one, and here the mother turned, and 
stopped before a border that had been freshly dug, 
saying, “ This is to be your garden, dear ; now we 
must plant it full of flowers or vegetables ; which do 
you want? ” 

He thought a moment, and then he said, “ I want 
half for flowers, mamma, and all the rest for sings to 
eat ; but I don’t b’lieve 'tables would grow in such a 
little place ; do you, mamma ? ” 

His mother smiled and said, “Things to eat are 
called vegetables, dear ; if you wish to plant half of 
your ground with them, Thomas must make a little 
path in the middle of this border, and you can walk 
on it and plant your flowers and seeds.” 


Birdie s Garden, 


47 


Birdie was pleased with this plan, and his mother 
sent him to find the gardener, and ask him to bring 
his spade and make a path. 

Thomas soon came, and Birdie said he would stay 
and help him, while his mother cut some flowers for 
the parlor. 

So he brought his wheelbarrow, and picked up all 
the sticks and stones that Thomas threw out of the 
ground; and when he had gathered up a few, he 
would take them to a pile of rubbish, and empty them, 
calling out at the end of each trip, “ I 'm helping 
Thomas.” The path was soon made, and Birdie was 
much pleased with it, and after trotting up and down 
it several times to try it, he ran to his mother and 
said, “ Now, mamma, can’t I have a rosebush in my 
garden, all full of roses, and some tulips and violets, 
and lots of pretty flowers ? ” 

His mother smiled rather sadly, as she pushed back 
the hair from his warm face, and said, “We should 
have to get the fairies to help us, dear child, if you 
want your garden to bloom in one day ; but we can 


48 


Birdie's Garden, 


move some pla7its into it, and I will give you some 
seeds, and in a few weeks you will have ‘ lots of pretty 
flowers ’ in your garden.” 

This was a new idea to little Birdie, who thought 
one day’s work would turn his border into a blooming 
flower-bed, and whose gardening had always been on 
a plan of his own, and consisted in sticking flowers 
into the ground by their stems, which answered very 
well for a day, but would hardly make a handsome 
garden by the end of summer, as, without roots, they 
soon withered away and died. He looked down, and 
was quiet so long, that his mamma said, “ Never mind, 
dear ; the time will soon pass by, if you are busy and 
good,” thinking he was grieving over his long waiting. 

But the little boy looked up very cheerfully, and 
said, “ I wonder where the fairies live, mamma ? for 
if I knew where to find them, I would go and beg 
them very hard, and give them my new picture-book, 
and then I hn ’most sure they would make my flowers 
grow.” 

His mother sat down on a garden-chair, and taking 


Birdie s Garden, 


49 


Birdie on her knee, said, “Mamma knows of some 
fairies who will help you, even without the new pic- 
ture-book ; one is called Patience, who likes to live 
in our hearts, if naughty Impatience does not drive 
it out. If you will let Patience live in your heart, my 
child, and wait until our Father in Heaven sends the 
dew and the sunshine to awaken your flowers, you 
will soon see them growing and blooming. Then 
there is a fairy called Love, a heart-fairy like Patience, 
who is always watching to make good children happy ; 
perhaps it will find out a way to help you. But now 
we must go to work, and see what we can do for our- 
selves, for we cannot expect help unless we do our 
share.” 

Birdie listened attentively to his dear mamma’s 
kind words, and then she put him down with a kiss 
and a loving smile, which went right to his heart like 
a sunbeam, and drove away all disappointment. He 
watched, and tried to help her, as she took up care- 
fully with her trowel two or three small rose-bushes, 
leaving plenty of earth around the tender roots, and 
5 


50 


Birdie s Garden. 


placed them in the little wheelbarrow, which Birdie 
wheeled slowly to his new garden when full. They 
planted them near the fence at the back of the border, 
and then went for another load of plants. In this 
way they moved some violets and daisies, some yel- 
low cowslips, and some “Johnny-jumpers,’' as Birdie 
called them ; and when all this was done, the garden 
was quite full of plants. Birdie’s kind mother then 
gave him some flower-seeds, and showing him how to 
plant them, she said, “ Now, after a day or two, the 
warm rain will awaken the little plants, and they will 
send their tiny roots creeping into the soft earth, to 
find food, and then the tender leaves will come peep- 
ing up to find the sunshine, and so they will grow, 
and bear flowers.” 

“ But, mamma,” said Birdie, “ I planted some seeds 
last summer, and I dug ’em up the next day to see if 
they were growing, and they never growed at all!' 

His. mother smiled and said, “ Oh, you must not 
dig them up, my child ; that was Impatience at work ; 
you must let them alone until they are ready to come 


Birdie s Garden. 


51 


up. How would you like me to pull you out of your 
bed at night, to see if you were asleep or awake ? ” 
Birdie laughed at this, and said, “ I will not dig ’em 
up this time.” 

So his mother left him at work, and went into the 
house to put the flowers in water. Before long she 
heard a pair of little feet come pattering through the 
hall, and go trotting up stairs, and then come down 
again, and go out into the garden. She followed 
quietly, to see what the little boy was doing, and got 
there just in time to see him putting an old pair of 
her slippers into a hole he had dug. 

“ Why, what are you doing. Birdie ? ” said his 
mother, so suddenly that he started, and looked up 
in surprise, before he said, — 

“ I want some lady-slippers in my garden, mamma ; 
you had some last summer, and they were so pretty, 
all white and red, with little bits of slippers in them ; 
so I am just going to plant these old shoes — you 
don’t want ’em any more — and then I ’ll have lady- 
slippers when they grow.” 


52 


Birdie s Garden, 


“ Oh, dear me ! what a memory you have,” said his 
mother, laughing, as she thought of the pretty flowers 
Birdie admired so much, and how his father had said, 
in joke, they grew from old shoes ; but seeing the 
child’s puzzled look, she only said, “ Give me the slip- 
pers, dear, for they will not grow ; and I will give you 
some seeds that I picked from the flowers we had last 
summer.” 

So Birdie dug up the shoes, with rather a long face 
at their dusty appearance, and whispered, “ I ’m sorry, 
mamma ; I won’t do it again ; ” then he went to work, 
and planted the flower-seeds his’ kind mamma gave 
him. 

His mother left him again, and it was not long be- 
fore he came in quite warm and tired, and said, “ My 
garden is all done, mamma, and my wheelbarrow is 
put away in the tool-house, and I ’ll try to be patient, 
and wait ’till everysing grows ; but,” he added with a 
sigh, “ I hope it won’t be wery long.” 

His mother told him he would have plenty to do, 
with weeding and watering his garden, and then ad- 


Birdie's Garden, 


53 

vised him to look for clean hands and face in the bath- 
room, as dinner was just ready. 

After dinner papa heard the history of the garden, 
and at the end of it, Birdie said, “ Don’t you think 
they make dear, little, weeny watering-pots at the tin- 
man’s, papa ? ” 

The “tinman” made everything, according to 
Birdie ; for, as most of his toys were tin, and were 
often sent to the shop to be mended, he thought there 
was nothing the tinman could not make or mend, and 
often proposed taking broken china to the tinman to 
be repaired. This time he was right, however, and 
his father promised to look for a nice little watering- 
pot when he went to the village, and then Birdie ran 
off to play with his kitten. That evening he was 
on the front porch, when he heard a step, and found 
it was Thomas going into the garden, with a large 
watering-pot : “ Oh, Thomas,” said the child, “ won’t 
you water my garden ? ” 

“ Have n’t time, sir ; you must tend to your own 
garden, your mother said,” answered Thomas, hurry- 
5 * 


54 


Birdie s Garden. 


ing on. Birdie thought he would see what he could 
do with Nancy, for his papa and mamma had gone 
out for a drive ; so he ran into the kitchen, and then out 
into the shed, calling Nancy ; but no sooner had he 
reached the shed, than he saw, standing near the 
pump, the weeniest, nicest little watering-pot that evei 
was. There it stood, bright and new, as if it had just 
come from “ the tinman’s.” 

“ Oh ! it ’s for me ! it’s mine ! ” shouted Birdie ; and 
seizing Nancy’s dress, he pulled her towards it, say- 
ing, “See there; isn’t it sweet? Won’t you put 
some water in it, Nancy dear? I want to water my 
garden.” 

The cook was very fond of the little boy, and 
though she seemed to be busy, she said, “ Sure, thin, 
it ’s meself likes to plase you when ye ax so purty ; ” 
and filling the little watering-pot at the pump, she 
helped Birdie to carry it to his garden, where together 
they managed to give each plant a “ drink of water.” 
Then a place was found in the tool-house for the new 
possession, and the tired little boy found place in bed. 


Bwdies Garden, 


55 


His first thought the next morning was of the new 
watering-pot, and he told his mamma about it, and 
asked her if she knew where it came from. 

“Is it too large for the fairies to carry?’' asked she, 
smiling. 

“Yes, indeed, mamma ; unless they were big fairies, 
’most as big as me,” said he, trying to look tall. 

“ Well, dear, it was a fairy even bigger than you, — 
a grown-up fairy, called papa. There he is now, 
coming in at the gate ; run and thank him for it, and 
tell him breakfast is ready,” answered his mother. 

Birdie ran, and jumping into his father’s arms, cried, 
“ Thank you, dear, kind, fairy papa.” 

“ For what ? ” said his papa, seeming surprised. 

“Why, for that dear little new watering-pot; didn’t 
you get it for me at Mr. Tinman’s ? Now, tell the truf, 
papa.” 

“Well, if I must tell the truf, Birdie, I did get a 
small watering-pot at the tinman’s, yesterday. And 
so it pleases my little gardener, does it ? I’m glad 
to hear it ; ” and with a kiss and a toss in the air, 


56 


Birdie s Garden, 


Birdie was landed on the porch, and they went in to 
breakfast. As soon as it was over, Birdie asked his 
father and mother to go and look at his garden ; and 
as they consented, he hopped along in front of them, 
until he came to the path that ran by his border, and 
then he stood still, looking with great surprise at his 
little garden. What do you think he saw, little ones ? 
I don't suppose you can guess ; but as I happen to 
know, I will tell you. There was the bed he had left 
the night before without a flower in it ; but it was now 
filled with the loveliest flowers he had ever seen ! In 
the centre was a rose-bush with beautiful pink roses 
on it, and around it were small plants, some with 
white and red blossoms, and others with purple 
flowers, that were very sweet-scented. That was 
enough to delight a little boy, who had expected to 
wait two or three weeks to see his plants bloom. 
After staring at this wonderful sight for a few minutes. 
Birdie gave a shout of joy, and, clapping his hands, 
called out, “ Oh, come quick, papa and mamma ! come 
see these flowers, they ’re so sweet.” 


Birdie s Garden. 


57 


His parents hurried up to him with smiling faces, 
and as they saw the verbenas and roses, they said, 
“ Where did they come from. Birdie ? did you plant 
them last night ? 

“No,” said he, “I just watered the plants mamma 
moved, and there was n’t a singly flower on them ; 
and now my garden is full. I guess the fairies must 
have brang 'em I' 

Birdie’s grammar was apt to be forgotten, when he 
was excited, you see. 

His father smiled at this speech, and laying his 
hand on his wife’s shoulder, said, “Yes, a good fairy 
brought them for you, my child ; here she is.” 

For a moment Birdie looked rather puzzled, but he 
soon understood it, and, seizing his mother’s hand, 
said, “ Oh, you dear, darling mamma ! you ’re the 
bestest fairy in the whole world. Now, I ’ve two good 
fairies.” 

His mother bent over him fondly, and said, “ I told 
you, my pet, that the fairy Love would help you, if 
you were good and patient, and this is some of that 


58 


Birdie s Garden, 


fairy’s work. When I saw you so patiently waiting 
for your plants to bloom, I determined to go to the 
greenhouse last evening with papa, and bring home 
these flowers to surprise you.” Then his mother ex- 
plained to him that garden plants could not be moved 
when in bloom, because it was apt to injure the roots, 
and that made the flowers wither; but greenhouse 
plants were raised in pots, and could be taken from 
place to place, and even planted out while they were 
in blossom. 

Then Birdie insisted on giving a flower to his 
mamma, to put in her hair, and as she knew it would 
please him, she consented ; he then took one of the 
prettiest pink blossoms, and felt perfectly happy, when 
his mother kissed and thanked him, and placed it in 
her glossy hair. He said, “ I ’m going to be good all 
the days now, and never drive my kind fairies away.” 

And Birdie tried faithfully to keep his good reso- 
lution ; and we hope all our little friends will follow 
his example, for when Patience and Obedience are in 
the hearts of little children. Love is never far distant. 



THE DEW FAIRIES. 

HERE was a thunder-storm one warm after- 
noon in the summer, a few weeks after Birdie 
had made his pretty little garden, and as he 
could not go out to play, he watched from the window 
how the great black clouds chased one another swiftly 
across the sky, seeming to growl angrily when they 
met, and sending sharp flashes of lightning at each 
other, like the gleam of giant swords. Birdie fancied 
that there were giants living above the clouds, as 
there were when Jack climbed his wonderful bean- 
stalk, and that all the noise and tumult was caused 
by a great battle going on among them ; but when 

59 



6o 


The Dew Fairies, 


the rain began to fall in heavy drops, and then in fast, 
driving showers, he thought the giants were sorry for 
their bad conduct, and were “ crying, and then mak- 
ing up ; ” and he felt more kindly towards them, and 
hoped none of them had been hurt in the battle. 

Soon the rain stopped, and the clouds floated away, 
leaving only a few white heaps against the blue sky, 
looking like snow-covered hills ; though Birdie said, 
“ They look just like the white balls on top of mamma’s 
custard.” 

Just then the sun looked out from the curtains 
where he had hidden from the storm, and everything 
seemed smiling and happy. 

Now that the storm was over, the little boy ran 
out to sit on the porch and look about ; he thought 
the grass never had been so green before, nor the 
flowers so bright; and the air seemed fresher and 
sweeter than usual. The birds were singing sweetly 
in the trees, and the gentle cows were going slowly 
past the house, on their way to the farm-yard ; going 
slowly, as if sorry to leave the sweet-scented grass 


The Dezv Fairies, 


6i 


and clover in the meadows, where they had been 
resting under the trees that grew near the brook. 
All these pleasant sights made Birdie feel very 
happy; he looked around him with a smiling face, 
drew in long breaths of the delicious air, and felt like 
saying “ Thank you,” to the kind Father in Heaven 
who had made all these beautiful things. 

He sat quite still for some time, thinking, with his 
eyes fixed on the grass waving near him, all shining 
with the rain. 

Suddenly he started, rubbed his eyes with his hands, 
and then stared at the grass more than ever ; for it 
seemed to him that something moved beside the 
grass, — something like one of the rose fairies, only 
still lighter and more airy, and dressed in a thin, 
floating dress of silvery green. 

“ Can it be that fairies live in the grass ? ” said 
Birdie to himself, in great surprise ; “ I will be as 
still as a mouse, and watch ; ” and then he sat very 
quiet, with his blue eyes wide open to watch for the 
fairies, and now and then he smiled softly to himself, 
6 


62 


The Dew Fairies, 


in his wonder and delight. Sure enough, there they 
were. Not only on one blade of grass, but on many, 
little fairies, light as thistle-down, were dancing and 
swaying about, or swinging on the bending blades of 
grass, each one dressed in an airy robe of shining 
green, with beautiful bright crowns on their heads, 
made of dew-drops, which sparkled like diamonds in 
the sunlight. Very merry they seemed, and very 
busy too, for they scattered handfuls of tiny dew- 
drops wherever they went, and the grass and flowers 
bent lovingly to meet them, as if glad to feel their 
touch. 

Closely little Birdie watched the fairies, hardly 
breathing lest he should frighten them away ; and he 
was so quiet they did not know he was there, but 
danced about as if they had been all alone. At last 
two or three of them, floating along, came to a 
spider’s web, stretched from one tuft of grass to 
another, fine as lace, and yet strong enough to make 
a good carpet for their tiny feet. They seemed 
pleased at this, and began dancing merrily upon the 


The Dew Fairies. 


63 


web, all the while showering dew-drops from their 
hands and hair, until the web was strung with the 
shining beads, and glistened like silver. 

Was not that beautiful ? Birdie was delighted, as 
he well might be, for it is not every little boy who 
can see such a wonderful sight as that ; and if he had 
not been gentle and loving, I do not suppose he 
would have seen a single fairy. 

Soon his bright eyes caught sight of an old black 
spider — the owner of the web — - who was crouching 
in one corner, looking half frightened, and very much 
puzzled at the strange insects that had taken pos- 
session of his home. Now and then the old fellow 
would dart out at them, as if to drive them away; but 
he always met with such a shower of dew-drops, that 
he crawled back to his corner in a hurry. 

There he sat, all drawn up in a heap, looking like 
an old colored man, whom Birdie once saw playing 
the violin at a picnic, while the children danced. 

It was so comical, that the little boy could keep still 
no longer, but burst into such a merry peal of 


64 


The Dew Fairies. 


laughter, that he rolled over on the porch floor, and 
lay there laughing until his mother came out to see 
what amused him so much. 

“ Oh, mamma,” said he, “ if you were only a little 
boy like me, you could see the sweetest, most weeniest 
fairies ; they dance on the grass, mamma, and on 
the cobwebs, and the old black spiders have to play 
the violin. Oh, dear, it is too funny ; ” and he danced 
up and down, and laughed again as he thought of it. 

His mother smiled, and said, “ I am sorry I am too 
old to see the fairies, but I should like to hear about 
them.” And Birdie told her, as well as such a little 
boy could, all that he had seen. 

“ My darling,” said his mamma, when his story was 
done, “ you must have seen the dew fairies, who water 
the grass and flowers at night, to cool them after the 
heat of the day.” 

Birdie nodded very wisely, and turned around to 
find his little friends, but they had all gone ; only the 
bright dew shining on the grass and flowers showed 
where they had been at work. 


The Dew Fairies, 


65 


He was half ready to cry, when he missed them ; 
but his mamma told him that the fairies had many 
fields and gardens to visit, and could not stay long 
in one place, even to please her good little boy. 

“And, Birdie, as I cannot see the beautiful little 
things, sNOVit you be my dew fairy? ” 

The child looked up in wonder, to see what his 
mother meant, and said thoughtfully, “ I would like to 
be one, dear mamma ; but I am too big to dance on 
a cobweb, and I have no pretty green dress ” 

“No, dear,” said his mamma; “but you can oe one 
without that, by being kind and generous to all, and 
trying to make others happy ; ” and kissing his rosy 
lips, she went ino the house, leaving Birdie very busy 
thinking. 

He had not been alone very long, when he heard 
the latch of the garden-gate rattle once or twice. 
He looked up, and what do you think he saw? 

There stood the tame colt, Alice, with her head 
over the gate, looking at him with her large, brown 
eyes. Birdie loved Alice, and had often patted her 
6* E 


66 


The Dew Fairies. 


smooth face, and given her pieces of sugar or bread, 
so the colt had walked out of the meadow, when the 
bars were down, to look for her little friend. 

“Now,” thought Birdie, “I can give Alice some 
sugar, and make her happy; ” and he bustled into the 
house to ask for it. His mother gave him some very 
willingly, and he carried it out to Alice. She took it 
gently from his little hand, and rubbed her face 
against his shoulder lovingly, and Birdie was glad he 
had given her all the sugar, instead of eating some 
himself, as he felt like doing at first ; for he loved 
sweet things as much as any little boy, but he loved 
to be generous still more. Then he gathered some 
grass, all cool with the dew, and gave it to Alice, and 
would have given her more, but she heard the man 
calling her, “ Cope, cope, cope.” She knew he had 
some salt for her, so she started, tossed her head as 
a good-bye to kind little Birdie, and trotted away. 
The child opened the gate, and peeped out to watch 
the colt ; he did not go outside, for he was not allowed 
to when alone. While he stood there, leaning against 


The Dew Fairies. 


67 


the gate, he heard a strange noise behind him, like 
something knocking against the stones, and he turned 
quickly, to look up the road, and find out what it was. 

You see. Birdie always kept his eyes and ears open, 
except when he was asleep, and so he never missed 
anything ; and now he saw, slowly coming down the 
road a poor lame soldier, who had to walk on crutches, 
which knocked against the stones noisily. Birdie 
knew that all good people were very kind to the sol- 
diers, and he thought, too, of the dew fairies ; and as 
the man drew near, he opened the gate wide, and 
called out, “ Come in, soldier-boy, come in ; and I ’ll 
give you some bread and milk to make you well.” 

The man stopped, looked at Birdie, and then 
walked into the garden, and sat down on the porch 
steps, as if he were very tired. Birdie came in, 
too, but did not stop until he had reached the dining- 
room, where his mamma had just made a bowlful of 
bread and milk for his supper. 

“ Oh, mamma,” said he, “ there ’s a poor lame sol- 
dier-boy out on the porch ; so lame,” — and he held up 


68 


The Dew Fairies. 


one little foot, and tried to walk like the soldier ; — 
“ can’t 1 take him some bread and milk to make him 
well?” and seeing his mamma look pleased, he took 
the bowl with both hands, and carried it out to his 
friend. 

His mamma followed him, bringing a spoon, which 
Birdie had forgotten in his haste ; and when she had 
given it to the poor man, she sat down, took her little 
boy on her lap, and talked kindly to the soldier, ask- 
ing him his name, and how he had been wounded. 

He said his name was John Wilson ; that he had 
been wounded in a battle, and had been in hospital 
for some weeks, but was now going home to see his 
mother. “ She can make me well sooner than all the 
doctors,” added he, with a smile. 

“ But why do you walk so far, my poor fellow, 
when you are so lame and weak ? ” asked the lady. 
The soldier said, that he had come in the cars as far 
as he could, and expected his mother would send to 
the station to meet him. 

“ But the wagon was not there,” said he, “ and I 


The Dew Fairies. 


69 


was in such a hurry to see my dear old mother, that 
I started off to walk. I was beginning to feel very 
weak and tired, and might have fallen by the wayside, 
if this kind little man had not asked me to rest, and 
given me this nice bread and milk ; I feel better al- 
ready, and think I can walk home now.” 

But Birdie's mother said she did not think it would 
be right for him to walk any more that night; but if 
he would wait until they had finished tea, her husband 
would take him home in the wagon. 

The poor soldier thanked her, with tears in his eyes, 
and said he must get home, and should be glad of a 
lift. So Thomas was told to get the wagon ready, 
and they went in to tea. 

Birdie was so pleased that he had helped the poor 
man, that he could think of nothing else, and for 
awhile he talked very merrily ; but by the time he 
had finished his bread and milk, he grew very quiet, 
and his mamma found he was nodding in his high- 
chair. She knew he was very tired, and lifting him 
down gently, would have carried him up-stairs, but 


70 


The Dew Fairies, 


the blue eyes opened a little, and a sleepy voice said, 
“ Where ’s my soldier-boy ? did the fairies take him 
away ? His mamma laughed at the funny little boy, 
and took him out on the porch, to say good-by to 
the soldier, who kissed him, and said, “ Birdie must 
come and see me, some day.” And then the soldier 
got into the wagon, and Birdie’s papa drove away 
from the gate. Birdie’s mamma then took him to 
bed, kissing him, and telling him, he was her “ darling 
little Dew Fairy.” 






I ^^OULD you like to take a ride with me to-day, 
my boy ? ” asked Birdie’s father, one morn- 
^ ing, as they finished breakfast. 

“ Oh, yes, papa ; where are you going ? ” replied 
the child, eagerly, running to his father to hear all 
about their drive. 

“Well, I think we had better go to a peach-orchard, 
and get some good peaches for mamma to preserve ; 
and then, perhaps, we can find out where John Wilson 
lives, and stop to see him for awhile ; I ’m sure you 
would like to go and see ‘y^ur soldier-boy,’ ” answered 
the father, with a smile. 

“Yes, indeed, papa!” exclaimed Birdie, clapping 

71 


72 


The Fruit Fairies. 


his hands, and jumping up and down for joy ; “ I want 
to see if his poor foot is well yet, and if his mother 
was s prised to see him ; I ’ll go and ask mamma to 
give me some cakes to take to him.” 

“Very well,” said his father; “ask mamma to give 
me some cakes too, for a lunch ; and. Birdie, get ready 
the baskets for lots of peaches, while I see about the 
wagon.” 

Birdie hurried away with his messages, looking 
very important, and after running about and talking 
very fast, in his excitement, he found himself, with 
some help from mamma, all ready for his journey ; he 
was standing on the front porch with a small basket 
in each hand, and several large ones around him, 
when his father drove up to the gate, and he looked 
so odd, that his father laughed, and sang out, to the 
tune of “Yankee Doodle : ” 

“ I scarce can see my little boy, 

Because of all 4he baskets ! ’ ’ 

Then Birdie’s mother helped him into the wagon. 


The Fruit Fairies, 


73 


and told him to be very good, and not to eat too 
much fruit ; and Birdie promised to be '^werry good,” 
and kissed his hand for good-by, as they drove off. 
The little boy then told his father that the littlest bas- 
ket held cakes and fruit for his “ soldier-boy,” and the 
“ next littlest ” held their lunch ; but the “ big fellows ” 
were for the peaches. His father smiled at this ex- 
planation, and put the small baskets carefully away 
in the box of the wagon ; and when Birdie asked if 
he might “ help drive,” he gave him the ends of the 
reins to hold, and they went on their way very 
merrily. 

After quite a long drive, they stopped at a stone 
mill beside a pretty stream ; a bridge crossed the 
stream and led to the opposite bank, where the 
miller’s cottage stood, under some shady trees ; a 
girl stood on the bridge, holding a little child, and 
watching two boys who were fishing in the stream. 
Birdie saw all this while his father talked to the mil- 
ler, and felt like asking if he might go and see how 
many fish the boys had caught; but as soon as his 
7 


74 


The Fruit Fairies. 


father had finished talking, he drove on, after saying, 
“Thank you ; good morning,” to the miller; and as 
Birdie had promised to be a good boy, he did not say 
anything about his wish to get out and see the little 
fishermen. 

“ Why did you say ‘ Thank you,’ to the miller, papa? 
He did not give you anything, did he ? ” asked Birdie, 
after being quiet for about two minutes, a long silence 
for him. 

“Yes, he gave me something ; but you did not see 
it, for I put it right away in my knowledge-box,” an- 
swered his father ; then seeing the child’s puzzled 
look, he added, “ The miller gave me information, or 
taught me, by his words, where to find the peach-or- 
chard, and I put the knowledge safely away in my 
head, which is my knowledge-box ; when you are 
taught anything. Birdie, you should always say ‘Thank 
you ; ’ for knowledge is one of the best gifts you can 
receive.” 

“Yes, papa,” answered Birdie, very gravely, “I 
will ; and then I ’ll put it away in my noddle-box, until 


The Fruit Fairies. 


75 


it gets all full of things an'd from that time he often 
talked of his “ noddle-box,” being fond of long words, 
though he did not always get them quite right. 

Soon afterwards, they drove through a large white 
gate, and along a shady lane, until they came to the 
farm-house belonging to the peach-orchard ; when 
who should Birdie see, standing at the garden-gate, 
but his soldier-boy, John Wilson ? The orchard was 
on his father’s farm, and Birdie had the pleasant sur- 
prise of meeting his friend sooner than he expected, 
and was glad to find him looking better, and able to 
walk without his crutches. When John found that 
they wanted peaches, he said, “Yes, indeed! you 
shall have the best in the orchard, to take to the kind 
lady, who helped me home to my mother.” 

Then the baskets were brought out of the wagon, 
and the “ littlest one ” was given to John, who thanked 
Birdie, and took the basket to the house to be 
emptied ; when he came back, two little girls were 
running after him, with sun-bonnets on, and little 
baskets in their hands. “ Can we go to the orchard. 


76 


The Fruit Fairies, 


now, John ?’’ said they ; and, “ I reckon so,” said John, 
pleasantly; so they all started off, John going first with 
Birdie, and telling him that the oldest girl was named 
Lottie, and the youngest, May, and diat they were 
spending the summer with their mother, at the farm. 
Then he said to the little girls, “ This is my particular 
friend. Master Birdie, the bread-and-ntilk-boy ; you 
know I have often told you about him ; ” and pretty 
soon the children were talking very sociably together. 

When they reached the orchard, what a beautiful 
sight it was ! They stood in the midst of the low, 
wide-spreading trees, and could see the round, rosy 
peaches hanging on every limb, and loading the 
branches so heavily that some were bent nearly to 
the ground ; and, oh ! how good the peaches were. 
So ripe, and sweet, and juicy ! Better than peaches 
ever had tasted before. Birdie thought ; and he was 
right, for fruit is always best when fresh from the 
tree. 

After they had all eaten some fruit. Birdie’s father said 
he might play with the little girls, while he attended 


The Fruit Fairies, 


77 


to the peaches. Birdie took the little basket, and 
joined Lottie and May, who were looking on the 
ground for good peaches ; for they were allowed to 
come there every day, and- eat any good peaches they 
could find on the ground, or pick them up to take in 
to their mother. “ But we must not take any off of 
the trees,” said Lottie ; and little May added, “ ’Cause 
we might pick some what was n’t wipe.” 

They worked merrily for some time, and the three 
little baskets were nearly full, when something hap- 
pened that stopped their fun for awhile. Would you 
like to hear what it was ? Well, I suppose you would, 
so I will tell you. Birdie had wandered a little way 
from the girls, and was just rejoicing over a large red 
peach, which he thought would fill up his basket 
nicely ; when, as he turned it over to admire it, some- 
thing flew out of a hole in it, and the next instant 
Birdie felt as if a sharp needle were running into 
his hand, and saw that a large yellow wasp was 
stinging him. He screamed with fright, and tried to 
shake it off ; but it stuck fast to his hand, and he had 


7 


78 


The Fruit Fairies. 


to push it off with his peach, and throw peach and 
wasp, both, far away, and then run with all his might 
to get rid of the cross insect. 

His hand pained him so much, that he could not 
help crying, and when he came running up to Lottie 
and May, and told them about the bad wasp, and 
showed them where it had stung him, they were very 
sorry : Lottie said they had better run home, and get 
their mamma to put something on the place to take 
away the pain ; so they all hurried towards the house, 
leaving their baskets in the orchard. 

Lottie, who was a year older than Birdie, was very 
kind, and helped him and little May over the fence, 
and led them along the lane, and through the garden, 
to the front porch, where a pleasant-looking lady was 
sitting, with a sweet little baby in her arms ; but as 
soon as she saw that the children were in some trou- 
ble, she put the baby down on the floor, and went to 
meet them, saying, kindly, “What is the matter, 
Lottie?” 

Lottie told her of Birdie’s accident, and showed 


The Fruit Fairies. 


79 


her the poor little red hand, and she seemed very 
sorry, but said, “ I think we can soon cure it. Birdie.” 
Then taking the little boy on her knee, she sent 
Lottie for a basin of water and a towel, and asked 
May to bring her some earth in her little tin bucket ; 
when the little girls returned, she bathed the sore 
hand gently, and then putting a little water into the 
earth which May had brought, she said, “Now, Birdie, 
I 'm going to make a beautiful mud-pie and put it on 
your hand.” 

The children laughed at this, and Birdie thought 
she was a very queer lady, though he did not like to 
say anything ; but, sure enough, when the earth and 
water were mixed together, she put a round lump of 
it on Birdie’s hand, saying, “There, it will soon be 
well, my boy ; mud-pie is the best cure to be found 
for a sting.” It was a strange cure, certainly; but 
Birdie soon felt the good effects of it, for the pain 
and heat grew less, and he began to smile at Lottie 
and May, and to say, “ Thank you, ma’am,” to the 
lady, when she bathed his red face with the cool water. 


8o 


The Fruit FaiHes. 


Then the children’s mother said they must not go 
back to the orchard while it was so warm, but that 
they might stay with her, and play some quiet game 
until dinner wa^ ready. 

“ Or you might tell us a fairy story, mamma ; that 
would keep us quiet. Don’t you love fairy stories. 
Birdie ? ” said Lottie, in a pleading tone. 

“Yes, indeed!” was the earnest reply; “my 
mamma tells ’em to me sometimes, and I ’d like to 
hear your mamma tell one ever so much I ” 

Little May chimed in too, saying, “Oh, yes, mamma; 
tell we a faily ’tory, a nice one for Birdie.” 

Their mother smiled and consented, and just then 
the nurse came to put baby to sleep, and May climbed 
upon her mother’s knee, while Lottie and Birdie settled 
themselves comfortably, to hear the wonderful story of 

THE FRUIT FAIRIES. 

“This story is about a naughty little girl. She had 
a kind father and mother, a good old nurse, a pleas- 
ant home, and plenty of toys ; but still she was very 
naughty. 


The Fruit Fairies. 


8i 


“ When she could not do as she chose, or when she 
hurt herself, in fact, when anything happened that she 
did not like, she would get angry, and pout and cry, 
or even scream, until every one wanted to stop up 
their ears, and run away from the terrible noise. 

“Her mother and nurse often told her how wrong 
it was to behave in such a way ; and sometimes she 
was punished by having her mouth tied up with a 
folded handkerchief, as if she had the toothache ; at 
such times she seemed sorry, and would promise to 
do better ; but she always forgot her promise when 
she grew angry, and made as much noise as ever. 

“One day, Laura, for that was her name, had been 
very naughty ; indeed, she had even told her good 
nurse to ‘go away, and never come back ! ’ and had 
been rude to her mamma ; what was still worse, she 
was not sorry for her bad conduct, but continued so 
cross all day, that at bed-time her mother said to her, 
‘ Laura, I am very much grieved at your bad behavior ; 
and I fear I shall have to ask your father to send you 
away from nurse and me, as you treat us so rudely, 


82 


The Fruit Fairies, 


and let you live with your great-aunt ; perhaps she 
can make you a better girl/ 

“ Now Laura had often heard of this great-aunt, but 
had never seen her. She knew that she was a very 
old lady, who lived in a large house in the country, 
with a pretty garden around it; and that she did not 
like naughty children at all, although she was very 
kind to good ones. The idea of being sent to live 
with this old lady, without either mamma or nurse to 
take care of her, made Laura very unhappy. She 
cried, and begged her mother not to send her away ; 
she said she was sorry she had treated them all so 
badly, and promised to try, with all her might, to be a 
good girl. But her mother only shook her head 
sadly, saying, T ’m tired of your naughty ways and 
broken promises, and I shall certainly speak to your 
father about it to-night.’ So Laura went off to bed 
in a passion, and cried herself to sleep. 

“Whether she slept so soundly that she knew 
nothing of the journey, or how it happened, I can’t 
tell ; but when next she opened her eyes, everything 


The Fruit Fairies, 


83 


looked strange and new to her, and there was no 
good nurse or kind mamma to be seen. Laura 
jumped up quickly, and tried to dress herself, that 
she might go and look for them ; and after some 
trouble, and many wishes for nurse, she got washed 
and dressed, and went down-stairs. 

“ The large house was dark and quiet, and Laura 
saw no one, though she looked into several rooms, 
until she opened the door of a little breakfast-room, 
when she saw a very strange old lady at the table ; 
she wore high-heeled shoes, a blue skirt with a red 
gown tucked up over it, a large white apron, and a 
pointed cap ; but the strangest part of all was her 
face, for it looked just like a face made out of a 
hickory-nut, it was so small, and brown, and sharp, 
and her eyes were as quick and bright as two coals 
of fire. 

Laura knew this was her great-aunt, who did not 
like naughty children at all. She felt very much 
frightened, and would have screamed, but was afraid 
to. The old lady called her into the room, and gave 


84 


The Fruit Fairies. 


her some brown bread and butter, and a glass of milk, 
saying, sternly, ‘There is your breakfast, child ; eat it, 
and go out into the garden.’ Laura did not dare to 
say a word, though she did not like brown bread at 
all, but ate her breakfast quietly, and saying, ‘ Thank 
you, ma’am,’ very politely, hurried out of the room. 
‘ Put on your hat and sack, and shut the door after 
you,’ called out the old lady in her stern voice, and 
again Laura felt like being cross, or saying, ‘ I don’t 
want to,’ but thought she had better not ; so did as 
she was told, though her face turned very red with 
trying to keep still ; for she was so in the habit of 
crying and screaming, that it was very hard work to 
be good. ^ 

“ Once in the garden, however, Laura felt quite 
happy for awhile ; there were quantities of lovely 
flowers in the flower-beds, and such a tempting little 
rake and hoe in one corner. Laura felt sure they 
were for her, and began making a garden very busily; 
and when she had put the ground in good order, she 
gathered some flowers to plant in it. She only stuck 


The Fruit Fairies. 


85 


them in the ground by their stems, it is true, but it 
was wonderful to see how bright and fresh they looked, 
and how firmly they stood up, just as if they were 
growing there. For a long time Laura was good, 
and worked pleasantly, and her garden looked very 
pretty ; but at last she scratched her finger with a 
rose-thorn, not very badly, — a little rubbing and pa- 
tience would soon have cured it, — but the pain made 
her very angry, and forgetting where she was, she 
began to cry, and scold the flowers, stamping on the 
ground, and throwing her little rake and hoe as far 
away as she could ! 

“ Ah ! poor, naughty Laura ; she soon saw some- 
thing that made her feel too sorry to cry — her rake 
and hoe broke into a hundred pieces, though they fell 
on the soft grass, and each piece rolled away as if to 
hide itself, and Laura never could find them again ; 
and then, her garden ! Oh, that was a sad sight now. 
Every flower hung drooping and dying, with their 
bright colors faded and all their firmness gone, as if 
grieved to death by the cross words Laura had spoken 
8 


86 


The Fruit Fairies, 


to them. Ah, the pain of the scratch was nothing now, 
to the pain in her heart, as she saw how her beautiful 
garden was spoiled by her hasty temper, and foolish 
habit of crying at every little hurt. 

“ She felt very much afraid, too, lest her great-aunt 
should have heard the noise, and should come to 
punish her ; and putting her hand over her mouth to 
keep back her sobs, she rushed away like the wind, 
and never stopped until she found herself in a cool, 
shady orchard filled with fruit-trees of all kinds. She 
sat down there to rest, and think over her wicked 
conduct, and after many sad but quiet tears of sorrow, 
— which are the only right kind of tears, — she re- 
solved to try to be a ‘ real good little girl, and not cry 
or scream any more, no matter what happened.’ 

“After this, Laura felt better, and soon began to 
walk along under the fruit-trees, and look at the fruit 
with which they were loaded; she had never seen 
such a wonderful orchard before. Not only pears, 
peaches, apples and cherries grew there, all ripe at 
once, but splendid oranges, bananas, figs and dates 


The Fruit Fairies, 


87 


hung from the trees, and rows of gooseberries, cur- 
rants and strawberries grew between them. It made 
Laura’s eyes dance to see such quantities of delicious 
fruit ; but she did not touch any, for she knew it 
would not be right to do so without her aunt’s per- 
mission. On and on she walked, singing softly to 
herself, and looking so good and happy, that the 
fruit fairies who took care of the orchard — for it was 
a fairy orchard — were very much pleased with their 
little visitor; one after another peeped out from 
among the green leaves, nodding their rosy faces at 
Laura, and then hiding again so quickly, that she 
could scarcely tell whether they were fairies or fruit ; 
but as she still walked on quietly, and looked about 
pleasantly, she saw more and more of the bright faces 
nodding to her in a friendly way; for fairies love 
good children, and like to be their friends and play- 
mates. 

“Presently a ripe cherry flew right into Laura’s 
mouth, and a clear little voice sang out : 

‘ Eat ! Eat ! Is n’t it sweet ? * 


88 


The Fruit Fairies. 


And she did eat, you may be sure ; and as a shower 
of cherries came flying at her, just then, she had a 
splendid treat, for they were the very best cherries 
she had ever eaten. 

“ Then she went on singing her thanks to her new 
friends in these words ; 

‘ I thank you, kind fairies, 

For all those fine cherries ! ’ 

Laura never knew before that she could make 
rhymes ; and it was not a very good rhyme either ; 
but as she sang it several times, in a merry way, it 
seemed to please the fruit fairies ; and after a few 
minutes, she heard another clear little voice singing : 

* Look well on the ground. 

And keep what is found ! ’ 

And looking down carefully, Laura saw at her feet 
a beautiful large orange, so large that she had to take 
it in both hands to lift it up ! 

‘ Oh, thank you, dear friends, 

For the gift your love sends,* 


The Fruit Fairies. 


89 


sang the happy little girl, thinking to herself that it 
was very easy to be good, after all, and that her great- 
aunt’s orchard was a lovely place. 

But just then, I am sorry to say, she tripped over 
a stone, and fell against a tree, bruising .her forehead 
against the hard bark ; it was not pleasant, certainly, 
to get such a fall ; and, besides, her beautiful orange 
was thrown out of her hands, and broken to pieces 
on the ground. This accident, and the pain together, 
made Laura very angry, and, forgetting where she 
was, she screamed with rage, and began to strike and 
kick the stone and tree which had hurt her, and acted 
just like a crazy little girl. 

“Theij everything changed in a moment. The 
good fruit fairies hid themselves, in sorrow and 
fright, and no more rosy faces could be seen peep- 
ing out from the leaves ; no more sweet voices were 
to be heard ; but spiteful and mischievous elves 
came crowding around the naughty child, mocking 
her cries, and kicking and striking at her, as she had 
done at the trees, while they pelted her with cherry- 
8 * 


90 


The Fruit Fairies. 


stones, which felt like balls of hot lead ; great black 
spiders slid down from the trees by long threads, and 
dangled before her face ; and when she turned aside 
to avoid them, ugly snakes, toads, and caterpillars 
were in her path ; and angry wasps were buzzing 
fiercely around her head, and trying to sting her ; so 
that, ere long, she began to rush blindly through the 
orchard like a wild thing, hair and hat flying behind 
her, and her dress catching on the brambles, and 
tearing at every step. Just as she was about to 
despair, she saw a wide, muddy ditch before her, and 
was just going to plunge into it, head-foremost, to 
escape from her enemies, when she felt a hand on her 
arm, and heard a voice saying, ‘Why, Miss Laura, 
what is the matter with you ? ’ 

“ She started, and looked up, and there, to her joy, 
she saw her own good old nurse watching her 
anxiously; and when she came to herself a little 
more, she found that she was in her own bed at home ; 
but she was still so frightened that she clung to her 
nurse, and cried out, ‘Oh, save me, save me, Nursie, 


The Fruit Fairies, 


91 


and I '11 never be naughty again ! ’ It was a long time 
before she could be comforted, or could believe that 
she had only been dreaming; but when nurse 
promised to speak to her mamma that very night, 
and ask her not to send Laura away to her great- 
aunt’s, because she was really going to be a good 
girl, then Laura felt happier ; and went to sleep, after 
thanking her kind nurse, and had no more strange 
dreams. From that time she began to improve, and 
in a few weeks grew so quiet and gentle, that her 
mother gave up the thought of sending her to stay 
with her great-aunt; and if she sometimes felt like 
crying and screaming, in the old way, she would put 
her hand over her mouth, and run to her room, to 
think over her strange adventures in the orchard, and 
the lessons she had learned from the 

FRUIT FAIRIES.” 

Lottie and May laughed and clapped their hands 
when the story was done, for they had heard one like 
it before ; but Birdie drew a long breath, as if quite 


92 


The Fruit Fairies, 


relieved, and said, “ I ’m glad it was only a dream, for 
I should n’t like all those ugly things to be in our 
orchard, or in John’s, either.” 

Lottie laughed at this, and replied, “ Oh, it was only 
a dream, o’ course. Birdie. She ’d been so naughty, she 
had bad dreams; but I think it’s a splendid story.” 

“ I fink it ’s a spendid ’tory, too ; and boofaleeP 
chimed in little May ; she meant that it beautiful, 
but could not say it any better. 

By this time the dinner-horn had sounded, and the 
children saw John Wilson and his father, and Birdie’s 
father, coming towards the house, all carrying baskets 
full of peaches, which they placed carefully in the 
wagon. John brought in the three little baskets, and 
when Birdie looked into his, he found it filled with 
large ripe peaches, all packed in with soft, cool grass. 

“ Please take those to your mother, with my com- 
pliments,” said John Wilson, when Birdie thanked 
him. 

Then they all went to dinner, and enjoyed the good 
country fare very much, and Birdie made them all 


The Fruit Fairies. 


93 


laugh, by saying, “ he thought apple-pie was a heap 
nicer than mud-pie!^ 

After dinner, John’s two younger brothers took the 
children to the meadow, where the men were making 
hay ; and they all had great fun playing “ Puss in the 
Corner,” and “ Hide and Seek,” among the piles of 
hay ; at last they hid little May inside of a great soft 
pile of hay, so that Lottie and Birdie had a long 
search after her, and could , not imagine where she 
was, until she peeped out, and said, “ Here I is I ” 
She thought it very good fun, and did not want to 
leave her nest, even when the game was over. For 
after awhile Birdie’s father came to take him home, 
and he had to say good-by to his dear little friends. 
They begged him to come and spend another day at 
the farm ; and Birdie said he would, “ if papa would 
bring him.” Then John carried the little boy to the 
wagon, and packed him in among the peach-baskets 
very comfortably. I think you will not be surprised 
to hear that, after all the adventures of the day^ 
Birdie soon fell fast asleep, with his head on his 
father’s knee, and slept all the way home. 



BIRDIE’S SEARCH FOR A FAIRY. 


NE day Birdie was a very naughty boy. I 
will tell you how it happened. His father and 
mother had gone away in the wagon, to spend 
the day with grandma, and had told Birdie not to go 
out of the garden, but to play there quietly, until 
Nancy or Miss Hannah called him to dinner. Birdie 
had listened attentively, and promised to obey, and 
that made it so much the worse, for him to behave as 
he did ; for even very little children know what a 
promise means, and how wrong it is to break one. 

For awhile Birdie was very good, and sat on the 
porch-steps, with his kitten in his arms, trying to sing 

94 



Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 95 

her to sleep ; he sang all the little songs he knew, 
and at last began : 

‘‘Bye, oh, baby bunting. 

Papa ’s gone a hunting ; 

Gone to get a rabbit-skin. 

To wrap my baby bunting in.** 

This seemed to please him very much, as he sang 
it several times ; and then, finding Kitty was asleep, 
he put her down gently on the soft grass, and sat still 
a little longer, thinking. I am afraid his song put 
some funny thoughts into his “ noddle-box,” for pretty 
soon he jumped up, saying, “Yes, I’m goin’ to hunt 
for a fairy to-day; for I want one to play with, and 
I ’m goin’ to hunt everywhere, till I find one ! ” 

Then he started off to search through the garden, 
for one of his fairy friends ; up and down the paths 
he wandered, looking into every bush, and searching 
every nook and corner, but no fairies could he find ; 
at last he remembered that the fairies were very little, 
and loved to rest in the sweet flowers ; so he began 
his search again, and peered into the beautiful white 


96 


Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 


bells of the tall lilies, where he only saw a yellow bee 
at work, gathering honey ; not caring to disturb it, 
after his adventure in the peach orchard, he hurried 
away to look among the roses still blooming near the 
house, to see if any rose fairies could be found in 
them. 

There, to his great joy. Birdie saw a large, red 
butterfly, resting on a rose, and moving its spotted 
wings to and fro, as if enjoying the bright sunshine. 
Now, if Birdie had been as good and gentle as usual, 
and watched the pretty thing quietly, who knows what 
might have happened ? Something very pleasant, 
perhaps ; but, instead of being good. Birdie cried out, 
“ Now I Ve found one ! ” and sprang up, to catch the 
butterfly in his hand ; but it was too quick for him, 
and flew away in a moment, leaving the little boy with 
a handful of rose-leaves, and a scratch on his wrist 
from the thorns. Still, he was determined to catch it, 
and watching it closely, he chased it around the gar- 
den, running over beds and borders in his haste, and 
doing much mischief in Thomas’s neat domain. 


97 


Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 

At last the red butterfly sailed slowly before him, 
as he stopped to take breath, and settled on a cab- 
bage-leaf very near Birdie ; in a moment, his straw 
hat was in his hand, and he crept slyly towards 
the place, and pounced down on the poor butterfly 
with such force, that he lost his balance, and went 
head-foremost into the cabbage-bed, with his face in 
the mud and his heels in the air! He was more 
frightened than hurt, however, especially when he 
found, on getting back to his feet again, that he had 
broken two or three fine cabbage-plants in his fall ; 
and hearing Miss Hannah, who was sewing for his 
mamma, calling him, the little boy ran away to the 
front yard, and hid himself under the porch^ feeling 
very much ashamed of his conduct; while the red 
butterfly flew away, over the garden fence. 

Birdie stayed in his queer hiding-place for some 
time, expecting to hear Thomas or Miss Hannah 
coming to scold him ; but as no one came, he crept 
out after awhile, and went to the gate to look about ; 

he soon heard voices, and saw five children coming 
9 G 


98 


Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 


along the road, carrying buckets and baskets, and 
talking very noisily. There were two boys and three 
girls, and Birdie knew they were the farmer’s children, 
and that his mother did not like him to play with them ; 
but this was his “ naughty day,” you know, and it 
seemed as if he forgot all the good lessons of his 
kind parents, and acted “ like a wild Indian.” 

When the children came nearer, he opened the gate, 
and looking out, said, “ Where are you all goin’, chil- 
dren ? ” 

“We’re goin’ down in the meadow to get black- 
berries,” answered one of the boys; “don’t you want 
to go with us? We ’ll lend you a bucket, and you 
can get a whole lot for supper.” 

This sounded very tempting to lonely little Birdie ; 
and after a few more persuasions, he concluded to go, 
“ ’cause he had n’t had any blackberries for a good 
many whiles F' and taking the tin bucket Jane lent 
him, he hurried off towards the meadow with his new 
friends. 

Now these children knew that Birdie was not al- 


99 


Birdie s Search for a Fairy. 

lowed to go away from the garden, nor to play with 
them ; and it was very wrong for them to persuade 
him to go. They also knew that they were not allowed 
to go into the meadow to pick blackberries, because 
Thomas was trying to cultivate some of the vines, 
and did not wish any one to meddle with them ; but 
Thomas had gone away, and so these naughty chil- 
dren concluded to go, and take Birdie with them, that 
the blame might fall upon him, if they were seen there. 
Well, when little boys disobey their parents, and play 
with bad companions, they nearly always meet with 
some punishment; and so it happened with our 
friend Birdie. The children crossed a little bridge, 
and soon found their way to the thicket where the 
blackberries grew, and went to work very merrily, 
picking some to put in the baskets and buckets they 
carried, and eating some, too ; for the berries were 
large and ripe, and many a juicy one was popped 
into their mouths, instead of into the buckets. 
Birdie thought it was “great fun,” and yet he felt 
uneasy at times, and glanced around as if afraid of 


LofC. 


lOo Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 

being seen ; he would not have felt unhappy, if he 
had not been doing wrong, would he? No, indeed; 
he would have enjoyed the fun much more, if he had 
not been disobeying his parents. 

After they had picked a great many berries, and 
blackened their hands and faces with the juice, and 
torn their clothes in the briers, they began to think 
of going home ; and had just taken up their baskets, 
and found their hats and bonnets, when Jane, the 
oldest girl, cried out, “ Oh, boys ! run ! run ! there 
comes Thomas ! ” And sure enough, they all saw 
Thomas coming over the hill, shaking his cane, and 
calling out, “ Leave my blackberries alone, you young 
rogues ! ” They all started ofif to run home, frightened 
nearly to death ; the youngest girl could not run fast 
enough, so the two boys took hold of her hands, and 
helped her along, and Jane flew on ahead, leaving 
poor Birdie and Sarah to take care of themselves. 
They struggled on bravely; but as Thomas came 
nearer, Jane seized Sarah and dragged her along, 
and Birdie was deserted by those who had led 



THE CHILDREN’S FRIGHT. — loo 






Birdie s Search for a Fairy. lOi 

him into mischief, and had to hurry on, as well as he 
could, by himself. 

When they reached the little bridge over the 
stream, the farmer’s children rushed across it, and 
ran on towards their home ; but poor Birdie, so warm 
and tired that he was nearly blind, went too near the 
edge of the bridge, and slipped olT, right into the 
water. He screamed, and caught at the edge of the 
boards with both hands ; but the water felt very cold, 
and he began to cry, thinking how naughty he had 
been all day, and that now he was going to be 
drowned, and never see his mamma any more ; when 
Thomas came running to the bridge, and pulled him 
out of the water, giving him a shake, as he said, 
“ There ! served you right, for stealing my black- 
berries ! ” But when he saw that it was not a strange 
boy, but “ little Master Birdie,” standing there, drip- 
ping wet, and crying, too,” he was very much sur- 
prised, and quite worried ; and without stopping to 
ask questions, he picked the child up, and ran to the 
kitchen as fast as he could go. 

9 * 


102 Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 

Greatly was Nancy astonished to see Birdie in such 
a plight ; but Thomas would not let her stop to talk, 
but made her get dry clothes for Birdie, and a warm 
blanket to wrap around him ; and when he was 
rubbed dry, and dressed comfortably, Nancy gave 
him a bowl of hot soup to drink, and kept him 
wrapped in the blanket, and sitting in front of the 
kitchen fire, all the afternoon, for fear he should take 
cold after his dip in the stream. 

This imprisonment was very tiresome to Birdie ; 
but as he knew it was caused by his own naughty 
conduct, he bore it quite patiently, and answered 
gently and truthfully, when Nancy and Miss Hannah 
asked him how the accident happened. He seemed so 
sorry for his bad behavior, that Miss Hannah was 
willing to forgive him, and offered to bring her sew- 
ing, and sit by him when Nancy went out to milk. 
While they were sitting quietly together, in the large 
and cheerful kitchen, the kind-hearted woman told 
Birdie a little story, to teach him to be obedient, and 
to stay at home when he was told to do so ; the story 
was about 


Birdie s Search for a F'airy. 


Jto3 


‘‘THREE LITTLE DUCKS 

who lived with their mother in a barn-yard, and were 
very happy and comfortable. One day their mother 
said, ‘ Children, I am going to market to buy a pound 
of butter, and I want you to stay in the barn-yard 
until I come back ; and if you are good, I will bring 
you all a stick o’ candy.’ The little ducks promised 
to mind their mother ; so she locked up her house, 
put the key in her pocket, and putting on her best 
cloak and bonnet, she took her basket, and went off 
to market. But she had not been gone very long, 
before the oldest little duck said, ‘ I ’m going to the 
river to take a swim ; won’t you all go with me ? ’ 
The others said, ‘ Oh, no, brother ; don’t go until 
mother comes home ; the water-rats might get you.’ 
‘ Pooh, who ’s afraid of the water-rats ? I ’m going ; 
good-by,’ said this bad duck ; and then he crept 
under the fence, and went off. 

“ When he came to the river, he jumped in and 
began swimming about, for he could swim very well; 


f 04 Birdie s Search for a Fairy. 

but he was young and very fat, so when the water- 
rats saw him, they said, ‘ Oh, father, do get that nice 
fat duck for our dinner.’ ‘ Keep very still, and I ’ll 
try to get it,’ said the father; and then he swam 
quietly under water, towards the little duck, and 
seizing him by the legs, dragged him home to the 
young water-rats, who ate him up right away, and 
said he was splendid ; they left nothing of the poor 
duck but his two little yellow feet, which floated 
about on top of the water, looking very sad and 
lonely. 

“When Mrs. Duck came home from market, she 
called her children, to give them all a stick o’ candy ; 
but only two little ducks came to meet her. ‘Where ’s 
your oldest brother ? ’ said she. ‘ Oh, mother,’ said 
the other ducks, ‘ he went to the river to swim, and 
he has not come back yet, and we ’re afraid the water- 
rats have caught him.’ 

“ ‘ Oh, mercy me ! I must go and see,’ said the 
mother, in great distress, and off she waddled to the 
river ; but when she got there, of course she saw 


Birdie s Search for a Fairy. 105 

nothing of her disobedient child but his two little 
yellow feet, which floated about on the top of the 
water, looking very sad and lonely. Then she knew 
that the water-rats had eaten him ; and she cried 
three days and three nights, and did not eat any 
dinner. 

“Well, she stayed with her children, and took care 
of them for some weeks ; but at last the pound of 
butter was gone, and she had to go to market to get 
another one. She told the little ducks to stay in the 
barn-yard until she came home, and she would bring 
them each a ginger-cake. They promised to obey her; 
but she had not been gone very long, when the oldest 
little duck said, ‘ I ’m going to the woods to get black- 
berries.’ ‘ Oh, don’t go alone, brother,’ said the 
youngest duck ; ‘ the owls might get you.’ ‘ Oh, 
pshaw! who’s afraid of owls? I’m going; good-by;’ 
^nd the bad duck crept under the fence, and went off 
to the woods, all alone. 

“ When he reached the woods, he could not find 
any blackberries until he got in some distance, where 


io6 Birdies Search for a Fairy, 

the woods were thick and black ; but then he found 
some fine ripe berries, and began eating them as fast 
as possible; while he was doing this, some young 
owls looked out of a tree overhead, and saw him. 

‘ Oh, father,’ said they, ‘ do get that nice fat duck for 
our dinner; do, do !' 

“ ‘ Keep very still then, and I ’ll try to get it,’ said 
their father; and the next minute he flew quietly 
down, and pounced on the poor duck, and carried him, 
in his strong claws, up to the nest where the owls 
were. 

“ Of course they ate him for dinner, and said he was 
delicious ; they left nothing of him but his little yellow 
bill, which they threw out of the nest, and it fell at 
the foot of the tree, where it lay looking very sad 
and lonely ; they kept his feet for fans^ as they had 
not bought any yet for the summer, and thought it 
would save them the trouble of going to town. , 

“When Mrs. Duck came home from market, she 
called her children to give them a ginger-cake ; but 
only one little duck came to meet her. ‘ Where *s 


Birdie s Seaj'ch for a Fairy, 107 

your brother?’ said she. ‘Oh, mother,’ said the 
youngest duck, sobbing, ‘ he went to the woods to get 
blackberries, and I ’m afraid the owls have caught 
him.’ 

“ ‘ Oh, mercy me ! I must go and see,’ said the mother, 
and off she waddled to the woods. But after a long 
search, she could find nothing of her naughty child 
but his little yellow bill, which lay at the foot of a tree, 
looking very sad and lonely ; then she knew the owls 
had eaten him ; and she cried three days and three 
nights, and did not eat any dinner. 

• “ The youngest duck was much grieved at the sad 
fate of his brothers, and determined to obey every 
word his mother said, even when she was away at 
market. He kept his resolution, and never went out 
of the barn-yard alone; but his kind mother often 
took him to the river to swim, and to the woods to 
get blackberries ; and the water-rats and owls were 
afraid to go near him, because his big, strong mother 
was close beside him. So he grew up to be a hand- 
some, large duck, with a beautiful green ring around 


io8 Birdie s Search for a Fairy, 

his neck, and every one loved him because he was so 
good and obedient.” 

Birdie thanked Miss Hannah for telling him this 
story, and said he would try to be “ like the youngest 
duck, and mind his mamma, even when she was away 
off at grandmamma’s, and then he would be a good 
boy.” 

Just then they heard the wagon drive up, and the 
cheerful tones of a voice, saying, “ Where is my 
Birdie boy ? ” But Birdie was too much ashamed to 
run out, and spring into his mother’s arms, as he 
usually did, when she had been away. He hid his fac^, 
and begged Miss Hannah to go and tell his mamma 
all about his bad conduct, before she came to see him ; 
she went, but soon came back, looking very grave, 
and said, “Your mamma is very, very sorry to hear 
that you have been disobedient and rude to-day, and 
she says she does not wish to see you at all ; but 
that you must get your supper in the kitchen, and 
then go up to bed with Nancy.” 

This was a severe punishment to Birdie, who had 


Birdie s Search for a Fairy. 109 

never before gone to bed without a good-night kiss ; 
‘and he could not eat much supper, and went to bed 
crying so bitterly, that Nancy felt very sorry, and 
went down-stairs, to tell Birdie’s mother that the little 
boy was “ broken-hearted inthirely, and would n’t she 
spake a word to him, plase.” 

His mother called to him then, and said, “ Good- 
night, Birdie ; I will forgive you now, because you are 
sorry ; but I cannot come to see you, because I said 
I would not ; I will talk to you to-morrow. Go to 
sleep now, quietly.” 

This message, and a kiss from good old Nancy, 
gave the poor child some comfort, and he soon after 
forgot the troubles of his '‘naughty day” in a sound 
sleep. 

10 




THE FROST FAIRIES. 



|NE morning, when Birdie awoke, he found 
himself alone, for he had slept so late, that 
^ his mother had gone down to breakfast ; he 
sat up in bed, and looked around the room, and find- 
ing out that it was rather cold, he drew the covers 
close around him, while he waited for mamma or 
Nancy to come and dress him. 

As he waited, he glanced at the window to see if it 
was a “ sunny day,'’ and found, to his surprise, that 
the green leaves on the maple-trees outside had 
changed to red and yellow leaves, and looked very 
bright and pretty, as they fluttered in the sunlight. He 


no 


The Frost Fairies, 


1 1 1 


watched them for some time, wondering if the fairies 
had been painting them ; and making up his mind to 
be very good and quiet, when he went out to play, 
that he might see them at work. When his mother 
came gently to the door, to see if he was awake, he 
called out, “ Come in, dear mamma ; I 'm awake, and 
I want to get dressed, and try to see the fairies paint- 
ing the trees^' 

His mother came in, carrying some warm clothes 
on her arm, and saying, “ It is a cold morning. Birdie. 
Jack Frost has come now, and you must be dressed 
in a thick dress, to keep him from pinchmg you!' 

“ Did Jack Frost paint the leaves with those pretty 
colors, mamma? I thought the fairies did it,” said 
Birdie, earnestly. 

His mother smiled, and answered pleasantly, “ I 
think Jack Frost had something to do with the bright 
leaves, dearie ; but we might suppose that he sent 
many active little fairies abroad in the night, as the 
leaves have changed so suddenly from green to crim- 
son, yellow, and brown.” 


I 12 


The Frost Fairies. 


“ Can’t you tell me a story about those fairies, 
mamma ? ” said Birdie, who was always ready to hear 
fairy stories. 

“Not now, dear; it is late, and your breakfast is 
waiting for you ; but if you are a very good boy until 
my morning duties are done, and if you then say a 
nice long lesson to me, I will try to think of a story 
to tell you,” said the lady. Birdie promised to be 
good ; and as he had never broken his promise since 
the day of his tumble into the water, he kept it faith- 
fully now ; and after his lessons were over, his mother 
rewarded him by telling him the story of 

THE FROST FAIRIES. 

“ King Frost, or Jack Frost as he is sometimes 
called, lives in a cold country, far to the North ; but 
every year he takes a journey over the world, in a 
car of golden clouds drawn by a strong and rapid 
steed called ‘ North Wind ; ’ wherever he goes, he 
does many wonderful things : he builds bridges over 
every stream, clear as glass in appearance, but often 


The Frost Fairies, 


113 

strong as iron ; he puts the flowers and plants to 
sleep, by one touch of his hand, and they all bow 
down, and sink into the warm earth, until spring re- 
turns ; then, lest we should grieve for the flowers, he 
places at our windows lovely wreaths and sprays of 
his white northern flowers, or delicate little forests 
of fairy pine-trees, pure white, and very beautiful. 
But his most wonderful work is the painting of the 
trees, which look, after his task is done, as if they 
were covered with the brightest layers of gold and 
rubies ; and are beautiful enough to comfort us for 
the flight of summer. 

“ I will tell you how King Frost first thought of this 
kind work, for it is a strange story. You must know 
that this king, like all other kings, has great treasures 
of gold and precious stones in his palace ; but being 
a good-hearted old fellow, he does not keep his riches 
locked up all the time, but tries to do good, and make 
others happy with them. He has two neighbors, who 
live still farther north ; one is King Winter, a cross 
and churlish old monarch, who is hard and cruel, and 
^ H 


10 


The Frost Fairies, 


114 

delights in making the poor suffer and weep ; but the 
other neighbor is Santa Claus, a fine, good-natured, 
jolly old soul, who loves to do good, and who brings 
presents to the poor, and to nice little children at 
Christmas. 

“Well, one day King Frost was trying to think of 
some good that he could do with his treasure ; and 
suddenly he concluded to send some of it to his kind 
neighbor, Santa Claus, to buy presents of food and 
clothing for the poor, that they might not suffer so 
much when King Winter went near their homes. So 
he called together his merry little fairies, and showing 
them a number of jars and vases filled with gold 
and precious stones, told them to carry those carefully 
to the palace of Santa Claus, and ^ive them to him, 
with the compliments of King Frost. ‘ He will know 
how to make a good use of the treasure,’ added Jack 
Frost; then he told the fairies not to loiter by the 
way, but to do his bidding quickly. 

“ The fairies promised obedience, and soon started 
on their journey, dragging the great glass jars and 


The Frost Fairies. 


115 


vases along, as well as they could, and now and then 
grumbling a little, at having such hard work to do ; 
for they were idle fairies, and liked play better than 
work. At last they reached a great forest, and being 
quite tired, they decided to rest awhile, and look for 
nuts, before going any farther. But lest the treasure 
should be stolen from them, they hid the jars among 
the thick leaves of the forest trees ; placing some 
high up, near the top, and others in different parts 
of the various trees, until they thought no one could 
find them. 

“ Then they began to wander about, and hunt for 
nuts, and climb the trees to shake them down ; and 
worked much harder for their own pleasure than 
they had done for their master’s bidding ; for it is a 
strange truth, that fairies and children never complain 
of the toil and trouble they take in search of amuse- 
ment, although they often grumble when asked to 
work for the good of others. 

“The frost fairies were so busy and so merry over, 
their nutting frolic, that they soon forgot their errand, 


ii6 


The Frost Fairies. 


and their king’s command to go quickly ; but, as they 
played and loitered in the forest until noon, they 
found out the reason why they were told to hasten ; 
for although they had, as they thought, hidden the 
treasure so carefully, they had not secured it from the 
power of Mr. Sun, who was an enemy of Jack Frost, 
and delighted to undo his work, and weaken him, 
whenever he could. 

His bright eyes found out the jars of treasure 
among the trees ; and as the idle fairies left them 
there until noon, at which time Mr. Sun is the strong- 
est, the delicate glass began to melt and break ; and 
before long, every jar and vase was cracked or 
bjoken; and the precious treasures they contained 
werf melting too, and dripping slowly, in streams 
of I old and crimson, over the trees and bushes of 
the forest ! 

Still, for awhile, the frost fairies did not notice 
thiii strange occurrence, for they were down on the 
grass, so far below the tree-tops, that the wonderful 
shower of treasure was a long time in reaching them ; 


The Frost Fairies, 


117 

but at last one of them said, ‘ Hark ! I believe it is 
raining; I certainly hear the falling drops.’ The 
others laughed, and told him that ‘ it seldom rained 
when the sun was shining ; ’ but as they listened, they 
plainly heard the tinkling of many drops falling 
through the forest, and sliding from leaf to leaf until 
they reached the bramble-bushes beside them ; when, 
to their great dismay, they found that the rain-drops 
were melted rubieSy which hardened on the leaves, and 
turned them to bright crimson in a moment. Then 
looking more closely at the trees around, they saw 
that the treasure was all melting away, and that much 
of it was already spread over the leaves of the oak- 
trees and maples, which were shining with their gor- 
geous dress of gold and bronze, crimson and emerald. 
It was very beautiful ; but the idle fairies were too 
much frightened, at the mischief their disobedience 
had caused, to admire the beauty of the forest, and 
at once tried to hide themselves among the bushes, 
lest King Frost should come and punish them. 

“Their fears were well founded, for their long 


ii8 


The Frost Fairies. 


absence had alarmed the king, and he had started 
out to look for his tardy servants ; and just as they 
were all hidden, he came slowly along, looking on all 
sides for the fairies. Of course, he soon noticed the 
brightness of the leaves, and discovered the cause, 
too, when he caught sight of the broken jars and 
vases, from which the melted treasure was still drop- 
ping. And when he came to the nut-trees, and saw 
the shells left by the idle fairies, and all the traces of 
their frolic, he knew exactly how they had acted, and 
that they had disobeyed him, by playing and loitering 
on their way through the woods. 

“ King Frost frowned, and looked very angry at 
first, and his fairies trembled for fear, and cowered 
still lower in their hiding-places ; but just then two 
little children came dancing through the wood, and 
though they did not see King Frost or the fairies, they 
saw the beautiful colors of the leaves, and laughed 
with delight, and began picking great bunches to take 
to their mother. ‘The leaves are as pretty as flow- 
ers,' said they ; and they called the golden leaves, 


The Frost Fairies. 


119 

* buttercups,’ and the red ones, ‘ roses,’ and were very 
happy as they went singing through the wood. 

“Their pleasure charmed away King Frost’s anger, 
and he, too, began to admire the painted trees, and 
at last he said to himself, ‘My treasures are not 
wasted if they make little children happy; I will not 
be offended at my idle, thoughtless fairies, for they 
have taught me a new way of doing good.’ When the 
frost fairies heard these words, they crept, one by one, 
from their corners, and, kneeling down before their 
master, confessed their fault, and asked his pardon. 
He frowned upon them for awhile, and scolded them 
too, but he soon relented, and said, ‘ he would forgive 
them this time ; and would only punish them, by 
making them carry more treasure to the forest, and 
hide it in the trees, until all the leaves, with Mr. Sun’s 
help, were covered with gold and ruby coats.’ 

“ Then the fairies thanked him for his forgiveness, 
and promised to work very hard to please him ; and 
the good-natured king took them all up in his arms, 
and carried them safely home to his palace. 


1 20 


The Frost Fairies, 


“ From that time, I suppose, it has been part of 
Jack Frost’s work to paint the trees with the glowing 
colors we see in the autumn ; and if they are not 
covered with gold and precious stones, I do not know 
how he makes them so bright; do you? '' 

Birdie started as his mother finished her story with 
this question; for he had been listening so intently, that 
he had almost forgotten where he was ; but he soon 
laughed, and said, “ I guess Jack Frost must have lots 
o’ gold, to paint all the trees; and I think he’s wery 
good, to make the woods so pretty.” 

Just then Birdie’s father came in, and asked him 
what he was talking about ; and the little boy tried to 
tell him the wonderful story of the frost fairies, but 
needed some help from mamma, to make it plain. 
His father said it was a funny story, but added, “I 
think. Birdie, you ought not to stay in the house to 
hear fairy stories this fine weather. You know you 
will soon be five years old, and must try to grow large 
and tall, by being out in the fresh air. How would you 
like to take a drive with me this afternoon, and bring 
Grandma back to pay us a visit ? ” 


The Frost Fairies. 121 

The child’s eyes sparkled, as he replied, “ Oh, papa ! 
I 'd love to go ! and if I have a party on my birfday, 
Grandma could see it.” 

So they made their arrangements, and after dinner 
Birdie was wrapped up warmly, and lifted into the 
carriage by his father, and they started on their 
journey. The day was bright and clear, and Birdie 
enjoyed the ride very much, especially when they 
came to the woods, and he saw their beautiful dress 
of yellow, crimson, and brown. “ Oh, papa,” said he, 
“ see how Jack Frost has painted all the trees. I wish 
I could take some to mamma.” His kind father then 
stopped, and gathered a large bunch of the pretty 
leaves for Birdie, who was delighted with his treasures, 
and admired them, all the way to Grandma’s. When 
they reached the cottage. Grandma was very glad to 
see them, and hurried Birdie in to get “a good look 
at him,” the look ending in a warm kiss on his rosy 
face ; then they told their errand, and Grandma said 
she would go with pleasure, if they could wait until 
she got ready. 


122 


The Frost Fairies. 


After she left the room, the maid brought in a tray 
of bread and butter, clear honey, and rich milk, which 
Birdie and his father found very good ; and soon after- 
wards Grandma was ready, and they started for home. 
As soon as the carriage stopped, Birdie climbed out 
to give mamma the bunch of autumn leaves. She 
thanked him for bringing them, and said they were 
beautiful. Then they had tea, and Birdie was soon 
nodding, in a funny way, on Grandma’s knee, which 
reminded his mother that he must go to bed early, 
after his long ride ; and kissing them all, good little 
Birdie ran up-stairs with Nancy, and in five minutes 
was far away in Dreamland. 




THE FOUNTAIN FAIRIES. 



IEAR children, have you ever had a birthday 
party? If you have, you can imagine Birdie’s 
delight as his fifth birthday drew near, and 
how very anxiously he counted the days, in his own 
peculiar way, saying each morning, “ Now one more 
sleep is gone, and then to-day has to go, and another 
sleep, and then pretty soon my birfday will come.” 
His kind mother had written little notes of invitation 
to his cousins and friends, telling them when to come 
to the birthday party ; and in due time the answers 
came by mail, with stamps on, and everything, just 

like grown-up-letters,” Birdie said ; and each of the 

123 


124 


The Fountain Fairies, 


letters contained the good news, of the little writer 
“ accepting with pleasure^ Master Birdie’s polite in- 
vitation, for Thursday afternoon.” At last all the 
“ sleeps ” were gone but one, and the very next day 
would be the one for the party; there were such 
wonderful doings in the kitchen, that Birdie was quite 
puzzled, and wanted to know why they were “ mak- 
ing such a lot o’ puddin’s ? ” But his mother and 
Nancy, who seemed very much interested, told him 
he had better stay in the dining-room, and not ask 
too many questions ; and as he began to think they 
were making “goodies for his party,” he went out 
of the kitchen very good-naturedly. 

As every one seemed so busy, he at last concluded 
to “help mamma” by putting his toy-closet in order, 
“ for,” he said to his kitten, “ the children will want 
to see my toys, o’ course ; ” so he cleared out the 
closet completely, making a heap of toys in the 
middle of the room, and then proceeded to brush 
and dust the shelves and floor with his little broom, 
sweeping all the dust and rubbish out on the carpet, 


The Fountain Fairies, 


125 


intending to take it up in a dust-pan, “ like Nancy,” 
when he had finished his cleaning. After this he 
dusted his toys, and arranged them very carefully in 
his closet, ready for his little visitors to see ; his pic- 
ture-books, box of building-blocks, and large Noah’s 
Ark were placed in full view, as certain to please ; 
but he had serious doubts about leaving a headless 
horse, a one-armed drummer, and a doll without a 
nose, in such good company ; until he thought they 
had better be left, because “there might n’t be enough 
of toys for all the children, and then he could play 
with the broken ones.” This decision he imparted 
to his grandmother, who just then came into the 
room, and sat down by the fire with her work. She 
smiled kindly, and said, “That is right. Birdie; always 
give the best to your friends, and try to make others 
happy, and then every one will love you.” “Yes ’m,” 
answered Birdie, with one of his wise little nods, 
“ I’m going to do that way, all the time ; ” then he 
went back to his work, and soon finished putting 
away the rest of his toys, and exclaimed, “Now, 


126 


The Fountain Fairies. 


Grandma, my closet is all ready for the party ! 
Please come and see how nice it looks, with your 
spettacles on” — he added, as his grandmother laid 
down her sewing, to comply with his request; he had 
a funny idea that people who used spectacles, could 
not see at all without them, and as he wanted his 
clean closet to be seen, he thought Grandma ought 
to wear her “ spettacles.” 

So the kind old lady came, with her spectacles on, 
and looked carefully at the little boy’s closet, and 
pleased him very much by saying she thought it was 
very nicely fixed, and she “ could n’t see a speck of 
dust, even through her glasses.” “ But what is to 
be done with all this dust and dirt on mamma’s 
carpet ? ” she asked, looking at the rubbish Birdie 
had swept out on the floor. “Oh! I just forgot ’bout 
that,” cried the child, looking quite ashamed of his 
neglect; “I’ll take it all away in a milk-panT He 
meant a dust-pan, of course, and hurried into the 
kitchen to ask Nancy for one; but, making the same 
mistake in the name, Nancy said, “Shure, an’ iPs the- 


The Fountain Fairies, 


127 


tazin’ boy ye are, the day ; and niver a bit of a milk 
pan can ye have, at all, at all!” But Grandma- came 
to the rescue, and explained that Birdie only wanted 
a dust-pan for a little while, which made Nancy laugh 
as she brought it to him, saying, “ Och I but ye Ve a 
quare boy, not to know a dust-pan from a milk 
pan.” 

Birdie laughed too, but ran back to the dining- 
room, to try and get the dust taken away before 
Grandma, who had stopped to speak to his mamma, 
came back ; but this was harder work than he sup- 
posed, for it seemed to him as if he could not catch 
the dust; no sooner did he collect it in a heap, and 
try to brush it into the dust-pan, than puff! it would 
fly away as if it were bewitched, and he would have 
all his sweeping to do over again ; and the more he 
hurried, and the harder he brushed, the more the 
dust and rubbish flew and danced about, until there 
was quite a little whirlwind all around. him. He was 
getting quite tired and worried, when his grand- 
mother came back, and, seeing his flushed face, asked 


128 


The Fou7itain Fames, 


him what was the matter; “Why, I’m trying to get 
this dust into my pan, Grandma,” said he; “but it 
won’t go in at all ; just see — ,” and he bent over 
the heap of dirt he had once more collected, and 
raising his broom high in the air, he brought it down 
with all his might, giving the dirt a quick, hard push, 
which had the effect of scattering it again in all 
directions, leaving the dust-pan as empty as at first. 
“ Oh ! you sweep too roughly, my little man,” said 
his grandmother, cheerfully; “we can often do more 
by working gently and patiently, than by such hard 
work.” Then taking the broom, she swept the 
scattered heap together, and brushed it quietly and 
slowly into the dust-pan, which soon became full, 
while the carpet began to look bright and clean, 
under the steady strokes of the little broom. “There, 
Birdie,” said she, as she finished, and put the broom 
away, “ now the troublesome dust is disposed of, by 
gentle and persevering work. There is a saying that 
you ought to remember, ‘Gentleness is better than 
force ; ’ and I hope your troubles to-day will help you 


The Fowitain Fairies. 


129 


to think of it sometimes, when you feel like being 
rough and rude, or angry at not succeeding in your 
work or play.” 

Birdie was now sitting on his Grandma’s knee to 
rest, and after saying “Yes’m” to this good advice, 
sat very still, looking at the fire and thinking, until 
with a long sigh, he said, “ I ’ve nothing to play with, 
for I don’t want to ’sturb my books or playthings ’till 
I ’m five years old. I wish somebody would tell me 
a story. Can’t tell me one. Grandma?” he added, 
looking up archly ; “ I ’spect you know some stories, 
and I would like to hear one.” His grandmother 
smiled at his request, and said she did not remember 
many stories now, for it had been a long time since 
“ her boys ” were little enough to listen to them ; 
“ but I will try and tell you one. Birdie, to make you 
remember to be gentle, if I can think of it,” she con- 
cluded ; and then sat still, a little while, thinking; but 
Birdie waited patiently, for he was delighted at the 
prospect of hearing a new story. At last Grandma 
began, by saying : — “I think I can tell you a story 
I 


130 


The Fountain Fairies. 


that you will understand if you listen attentively ; it 
is called 


THE FOUNTAIN FAIRIES. 

“Long, long ago, in the days when giants and 
fairies lived upon the earth, there was a lovely foun- 
tain in a great shady forest ; its waters were as clear 
as crystal, and served for a mirror where the forest- 
trees, the ferns, and wild-flowers, might look in, and 
see their own sweet faces ; the gentle deer and timid 
hare often came there to drink of the cool waters, 
and would start away, when they saw bright eyes 
looking up at them, from below ; but finding out at 
last that it was but their own shadow, they would 
satisfy their thirst, and then rest on the soft green 
moss, beneath the spreading trees, and listen dreamily 
to the murmur of the water. From the fountain a 
little stream flowed out, among the grass and fern, 
and danced along merrily, over white pebbles and 
shining sand, seeking the sunlight beyond the wood, 
and singing as it went. 


The Fountain Fairies. 


131 

“A band of fairies dwelt near this fountain, al- 
though scarcely ever seen by any mortal ; for by day 
they hid themselves in the hollow trees, or under the 
arching fern-leaves, or among the mossy rocks of the 
old wood ; and it was only at night that they came 
from their hiding-places, to visit the fountain and the 
stream they loved, and to bathe and sport in the clear 
waters, or dance in fairy-rings upon its bank ; here 
they spread their tiny supper upon a flat rock, so 
covered with fine moss, that it looked as if a soft cloth 
of green velvet were over it ; and while the wisest 
among them arranged the acorn cups and saucers, 
and placed the ripe berries properly on the plates of 
green leaves, the younger ones were sent to gather 
all the honey they could find in the flowers, and to 
catch the falling spray from the fountain, in the beau- 
tiful pitchers of striped green and brown, which they 
borrowed from ‘ Jack-in-the-pulpit,’ a neighbor of 
theirs ; and so each had their part to do in furnishing 
the fairy feast. Dearly did the fairies love their 
fountain, and often they sang its praises, in sweet 


132 


The Fountain Fairies. 


verse, which sounded like the music of its rippling 
waves ; and not only did they love and praise it, but 
they watched over it, and tried to keep from it all 
that might hurt or defile it, carrying far away the 
falling leaves and twigs that might have blown into it, 
and watering the flowers and grass around it with 
dew-drops on warm days ; so that it was always fresh, 
and green, and beautiful around that clear fountain. 
They knew the little stream that ran among the peb- 
bles, was longing in its heart to grow large and strong, 
and go travelling through the meadows, towards the 
great blue sea, where it could see the ships ; and they 
tried, in their gentle, loving way, to help it, and some- 
times brought great leaves filled with dew, to pour 
into its channel, or coaxed other little streams to 
wander towards it, and join it on its pilgrimage ; so 
that the stream from the fountain was fast growing 
deeper and stronger, and pushing farther on its way 
to the sea ; but the fairies were so fond of it, that 
they rejoiced to see its happy smile, as it went wan- 
dering on, waving good-bye to them, and only said. 


The Fountam Fairies. 


133 

‘When you are a great river, dear stream, do not 
forget your friends, the fountain fairies/ 

“One day something very sad happened to the 
fountain. A great noise was heard at a distance in the 
forest ; a sound of trampling and rushing, with crack- 
ing of twigs, and the fall of breaking branches, as if 
some great wild animal were coming through the 
trees. The lovely fairies, who had been floating around 
their dear fountain, busy with their work of watching 
over it, were frightened at the strange sound, and hid 
themselves in the hollow trees, and among the ferns 
and rocks. In a few moments, the sounds came nearer, 
and the fairies, peeping out, saw a fierce-looking giant 
striding angrily along, striking at the harmless trees 
and bushes, with his knotted club, as he came ; on his 
back he carried a huge buffalo which he had killed in 
the chase ; and when he reached the grassy bank 
of the fountain, he threw his burden upon the ground, 
and bent down to drink of the clear, cool waters. 
Tired and thirsty from his long journey, he drew in 
deep draughts of the delicious water, and was rising 

J2 


^34 


The Fountain Fairies, 


to go on his way, when he caught sight of his own 
face, with the dark and angry frown it always wore, 
looking up at him from the depths of the fountain. 
Without stopping to think that it was but a reflected 
image of himself, he flew into a rage ; and seeming 
to imagine that the spring was to blame for what he 
saw within it, he began tearing up rocks and stones, 
and dashing them into the fountain with great 
violence, until he had filled and choked up the 
spring, so that the clear waters were covered with 
rocks and earth, and could no longer be seen or 
heard ; then, throwing the buffalo across his shoulders, 
he rushed away, growling and muttering crossly, to- 
wards his gloomy cavern in the distant mountains. 

“ The fairies remained hidden for a long time, trem- 
bling with fear, and listening in silent dread lest the ter- 
rible giant should return ; but at last they crept timidly 
forth, and came with noiseless tread to the brink of the 
spring. When they saw how their beloved fountain 
was ruined, from being filled with rocks and choked 
with mud and earth ; and when they found they could 


The Fountain Fairies. 


135 


no longer see their sweet faces in its clear waters, nor 
drink of its silvery spray ; and when they saw the 
little stream withering away, and hiding itself low 
down among the grass, as if in sorrow, then their 
grief broke forth in sobs and tears, and they sat 
down upon the bank to mourn the loss of their 
favorite friend and their merry playmate. Long did 
they sit there weeping, their tears flowing over the 
green moss unheeded, while the trees and shrubs 
above them sighed and murmured sadly, and the 
night-birds cried mournfully from time to time. But 
suddenly a wise old fairy, who had been carefully ex- 
amining the rocks within the ruined spring, by the 
light of his glow-worm lantern, sprang hastily upon 
the shore, and waving his pointed cap around his 
head, shouted, ‘Silence!’ In a moment, all sounds 
were hushed, as the fairies looked up in surprise, for 
there was a note of joy in the old fairy’s voice : 
‘ There is yet hope I ’ continued he ; ‘ your tears have 
worn a channel in the trodden ground, and are 
flowing towards our spring, and dripiping slowly 


The Foimtain Fairies. 


136 

through the stones into the fountain. Spend no 
more time in weeping, but hasten to collect all the 
dew from tree, and plant, and flower, and bring your 
offering hither; the giant’s evil work may yet be 
overcome by patient, loving toil.’ 

“When the fountain fairies heard these words, they 
sprang up joyfully, and shouted and danced with de- 
light; then crowding around the wise old fairy, 
they learned the best way to carry out his plans, and 
hastened away through the forest to seek for dew and 
rain-drops. 

“Very earnestly they toiled for many days and 
nights ; they searched for the bright drops of dew in 
every flower-cup and leaf ; and gathering as much as 
they could carry in their fairy goblets and urns, they 
hastened to the ruined spring, and poured the tiny, 
sparkling streams over the rocks, and among the 
stones, that covered its bed. For a long time it 
seemed as if their toil were useless, except to save the 
trampled ferns and wild-flowers on the bank from 
perishing; for they revived under the fairies’ care, 


The Fountain Fairies. 


137 


and became more green and beautiful than at first. 
Still, the love and hope felt by the fairies kept them 
from despairing, and they toiled on patiently. The 
great oak-trees, and the graceful birches and maples, 
that grew above the spring, watched the work with 
great interest, and whenever a shower came dropping 
down upon them, they would shake their leafy heads, 
and wave their long greeft mantles until every drop 
of rain was shaken off and sent rolling down from 
leaf to leaf, to find its way to the fountain, and help 
to fill its silent basin. Indeed, some of the little trees 
thought that the old oak-tree, which was so tall it 
seemed almost to touch the sky, had told the clouds 
about the poor spring, and asked them to send the 
cool showers over the forest very often, to help in the 
good work; but the oak-tree, when questioned, always 
answered gruffly, or pelted the little trees with acorns : 
and so they never could find out exactly, how it hap- 
pened that so many showers came by, that summer. 

“ At last the patient, gentle work of the fairies was 
rewarded ; the water began to rise once more in the 


12 


138 


The Fountain Fairies. 


fountain, and to bubble through the crevices between 
the stones, with a sound like low, sweet laughter; 
and erelong it began to dash and leap over the rocks, 
and seek the little streamlet’s long-silent way, to 
wander happily among the ferns and grass, as of 
old. Great was the joy of the good fairies to find 
their dear fountain restored to its former beauty; 
indeed, some said it was more beautiful than ever ; 
for it danced over the rocks so merrily, and its waves 
were so bright and flashing in the sunlight, that it 
pleased them better than the calm stillness of its first 
life. The trees and flowers, the birds and butter- 
flies, all seemed to rejoice with the fairies, and drew 
lovingly around the fountain ; and as to the ferns and 
mosses, they were so glad to see the bright waters 
once more, that they climbed bravely over the rough 
rocks, almost hiding them with their velvet mantles, 
that they might draw closer to the spring, and feel 
its cool kisses on their heads. Thus the wicked work 
of the great giant was overcome, by the patient love 
of the little fairies ; and instead of the fountain being 


The Fountain Fairies, 


139 


filled up and ruined, it became more bright and 
beautiful than before, making all around it happy 
with its cheerful music ; and the little stream that 
wandered from its shore, went merrily on its way, 
ever growing larger and stronger, until it reached 
the sea, and saw the white-sailed ships ; but I believe 
it never forgot the gentle fountain fairies.’' 

When the story was ended. Birdie sat so still on 
his Grandma’s knee that she thought he must have 
fallen asleep after his hard work of “ cleaning house,” 
and so she did not say anything for awhile ; but 
presently he raised his head, and said, “I think that’s 
a very sorryful story. Grandma, ’bout that naughty 
giant throwing stones into the pretty spring. I hope 
he ’ll never come to our woods, and spoil the little 
brook that way.” The little boy said this so earnestly, 
and looked so anxious, that his father, who had been 
in the room awhile, began to laugh at his fears, 
saying,— 

“ Why, my boy, there are no giants now, you know. 
Grandma only wants to show you that ill-temper and 


140 The Fountain Fairies, 

impatience are like ugly, rough giants, who harm and 
destroy this beautiful world, and make all around 
them unhappy ; and just as the giants were once 
small and weak children, so these wrong tempers 
begin by little, naughty ways and cross words, and if 
they are not kept down and conquered, will grow to 
be fierce and strong, like the wicked giant in the 
story. I hope my little boy will try to keep down 
these wrong feelings, and never let them grow large 
and strong, for that would make us all very unhappy,” 
concluded the kind father, as he lifted Birdie in his 
arms and kissed him. 

“ No, papa,” said the child, clasping his hands 
around his father’s neck ; “when I feel cross, I ’ll just 
say to Mr. Temper, ‘You better be quiet, or I’ll 
put a stone on your head to keep you from grow- 
ing ; ’ that ’s what you say to me^ sometimes,” he 
added, with a merry laugh. His father and grand- 
mother laughed, too, at the child’s funny thought ; and 
when Birdie had thanked Grandma for her story, he 
and his papa went out on the porch to take a little 
walk until dinner-time. 



BIRDIE’S BIRTHDAY TARTY. 



the morning of his birthday, Birdie slept 
soundly, and did not awake until his mother 
WS was dressed, when he opened his eyes, to find 
her bending over him, saying, “This is your birth- 
day, darling ; I wish you many happy returns of it.” 
Then she gave him five kisses, one for “ each year 
that he had been her own, dear little son.” 

Birdie thought this a very pleasant way of counting 
his age, and returned it by giving his mother “ five 
big hugs, one for every year she had taken care of 
him, and been his own, dearest, bestest mamma.” 

Then he sat up in bed, and looked around for the 



142 


Bwdie s Birthday Party, 


blue dress and white apron he had worn the day be- 
fore, intending to show his mother that he ‘‘ could 
dress himself intirelyy now ; ” but he looked in vain 
for it, and when he said, “ Where ’s my clo’es, 
mamma?” his mother held up a cunning little suit 
of boy’s clothes, and said, — 

“Your dress seems to be gone. Birdie, and this is 
in its place. I wonder who could have made such a 
mistake ? Shall I ask Nancy to look for your dress 
down-stairs ? ” 

Birdie looked earnestly at the pretty plaid jacket, 
with a white ruffle on the neck, and bright gold but- 
tons, and at the “ real pantyloons ” fastened to it, and 
hastened to answer his mother, by saying, “ Oh, never 
mind ’bout that old dress, mamma; let me try on 
these clo’es, and see how they look,” — at the same 
time making such a dive at the tempting suit, that he 
nearly went into it head-foremost. 

His mother laughed heartily at his funny attempts 
to scramble into his new attire ; then she buttoned 
the jacket, pinned on a little bow for a cravat, and 


Birdies Birthday Party, 143 

said, “ Now, stand still, and let me see whether I 
know this little boy or not.” Birdie straightened up 
like a soldier, and stood still while his mother walked 
around him, surveying the new suit with a look of 
great satisfaction, and saying to herself, “ They could 
not fit better ! how cunning he looks ! ” ending the 
survey by pulling up his stockings, and pulling down 
his pantaloons, which came just below the knee. 
Then seeing the important look on Birdie’s face, she 
said, “ I wonder who that little boy is. I used to have 
a little boy, but he always wore dresses.” 

In a moment the child ran to her, crying, as he 
sprang into her arms, “ Pm your little boy, mamma ; 
I ’m only dressed in pants ’cause I ’m five years old. 
I ’ll wear dresses to-morrow, if you want me to.” 

The mother pressed ^he loving child to her heart, 
and kissed his rosy lips again and again, as she said, 
“ Why this is my darling Birdie, after all ; he always 
speaks kindly, and tries to please mamma ; ” then she 
added, “ No, dear ; you need not wear dresses any 
more, for you are old enough to be dressed like a 


144 


Birdie s Birthday Party, 


boy, and it will be warmer for you ; but if you con- 
tinue to be good and gentle, and always try to be 
obedient, mamma will not think she has lost her little 
Birdie, but will love her ‘ boy in pants ’ as well as 
when he wore dresses.” 

Birdie promised to be very good “ all the time,” and 
then, with a hop-skip-and-jump, proceeded to exhibit 
his new suit to Grandma and Nancy. 

He spent a quiet, happy morning with his toys and 
books. Grandma sat by the fire with her knitting» 
and listened to all he had to tell her, and even asked 
him to bring his books and read to her. Accord- 
ingly, she was treated to the contents of Birdie’s 
library, from the “ Three Bears ” and “ Tom Thumb,” 
all the way to the “ House that Jack Built.” Noth- 
ing could have pleased the little boy more than 
this, for, as he knew them all by heart, he found it 
much easier to, read in them, than in the “ Little Les- 
sons,” which mamma kept in her work-basket ; and 
Grandma was a much better listener than the kitten, 
which generally went to sleep before he finished one 


Birdies Birthday Party. 145 

book, if she happened to be “ right side up,” which 
was a rare event. 

After dinner, Birdie's mother took him up-stairs to 
prepare for his guests. He felt very grand to have his 
clothes brushed, “just as papa did bis,” he said ; and 
he waited, with admiring eyes, while his mamma 
dressed herself nicely, and tied a pretty pink ribbon 
under her collar, “in honor of the party;” where- 
upon Birdie smiled and nodded, saying, “This is the 
day. I guess the children will soon come.” 

When they went down to the parlor. Birdie looked 
around, and saw that the pretty autumn leaves he had 
brought, were arranged in vases on the mantel-piece, 
with a few late flowers among them, and that some 
were hung over the looking-glass and pictures^ 
making the room look bright and gay. 

His mother advised him, while he was waiting, to 
bring in his toys and books, saying she wanted the 
dining-room for her company, and could not have the 
children running in and out. The moving was safely 
accomplished, and just as everything was ready, a 
13 K 


146 


Birdie s Birthday Party. 


carriage drove up to the door, and out jumped “Aunt 
Lizzie and the children,” as Birdie announced from 
his post at the window. They were soon in the par- 
lor, and there was such a joyful meeting ! kisses and 
questions flew right and left, and Birdie was con- 
gratulated on his age, and on his promotion to boy’s 
clothes. His cousins, Willie and Harry, told him “it 
was real jolly to have so many pockets to put things 
in ; ” a remark Birdie soon found to be true, when 
Willie gave him a bag of marbles, Harry a top, and 
his aunt a nice bouncing-ball, which were immediately 
stowed in the new pockets, until he looked like a bal- 
loon. Besides the boys, there was little Eflie, a mis- 
chievous brownie, with dancing black eyes, who said 
to Birdie, “ I did n’t bring you nuflin but a stick o’ 
candy ; and I got so hungry, I eat it up in the car- 
riage ; but I’ll bring you somefin next time you’re 
five years old.” 

This comforting speech made them all laugh so 
heartily, that poor little Eflie ran away, and hid her 
face in her mother’s lap, and pretty, golden-haired 


147 


Birdie s Birthday Party, 

baby Alice began to cry at the noise, and could not 
be quieted until the noseless doll was given her to 
play with. The commotion was scarcely over, when 
another carriage drove up, with more little cousins, 
who soon found their way into the parlor, and were 
warmly welcomed. Their nurse had brought them, 
and they could stay till seven, she said. 

Carrie was the eldest, and she had several mes- 
sages. Being afraid she would forget them, she began, 
as soon as she got in, to say, “ Mamma sent her love. 
Auntie, and we can stay till seven o’clock, and please 
make us be good, and don’t let us be too noisy, and I 
must not get my feet damp, and Johnny must not eat 
too much candy, and we can’t put any in our pockets.” 

At this the nurse looked at her reprovingly, and 
said, “Your mother did not send that message. Miss 
Carrie ; ” and everybody laughed when the little girl 
answered, — 

“ No ; but mamma said it all at the same time, and 
I ’ve been saying it to myself all the way here, so I 
forgot when to stopT 


148 


Birdie s Birthday Party, 


Johnny was Carrie’s brother, — a stout, rosy boy, a 
year younger than Birdie, and still wearing dresses, 
who seemed rather shy at such a crowd of children, 
especially when Lottie and May came, too. 

Soon after, the “ big children ” came : there was 
“Aunt Nellie,” Alice Lee, a sweet, gentle girl, several 
years older than Birdie, but a great friend of his, and 
invited at his particular request ; and with her were 
two more little cousins, Eddie and Elsie, whose bright 
eyes showed that they loved fun as well as any 
one, although at first they were rather bashful and 
quiet. 

After the bustle of the arrival was over. Birdie’s 
mamma told him to “ show his visitors his books and 
playthings,” and left the room with Aunt Lizzie. The 
little boy felt rather confused, and did not know what 
to say; but his good-natured Aunt Nellie and Alice 
came to his aid, and proposed to the boys to build a 
block house and a train of cars, while they helped 
Carrie and little Efhe to make a “ grand procession 
from Noah’s Ark.” Once interested in their games, 


% 



BIRDIE’S BAND OF SOLDI ERS. M9 




149 


Birdie s Birthday Party. 

they soon became sociable, and laughed and talked 
merrily together. 

After some time, the older ones grew tired of such 
quiet amusements, and Willie said, “ What ’s the use 
of goin’ to a party, if you can’t have some fun ? 
Let ’s play ‘ Puss in the Corner.’ ” 

They all agreed to this, and hurried to the corners, 
leaving Alice Lee for “ Puss.” She made a very good 
one, watching the corners, and trying to get in, but 
always being a little too late ; and there is no telling 
how long she would have been kept out, had not 
little Johnny, who was looking on from his nurse’s 
knee, suddenly rushed into the middle of the room, 
and seizing Harry, held him fast until Alice was safe 
in a corner. After this they played at being soldiers, 
and marched about the room with paper caps on, 
blowing trumpets, and beating drums made of tin 
cups, until the older ones were nearly deafened by 
the noise. Then they played “ Frog in the Sea,” and 
“ Hot Buttered Blue Beans,” and had a splendid time, 
with funny interruptions now and then from Johnny, 
13* 


Birdie s Birthday Party, 


150 

who would make a sudden charge into the midst of 
the game, by way of helping, and then beat a hasty 
retreat, looking very bashful. 

While they were busy hiding the handkerchief^ 
Birdie’s mamma opened the door, and said, “ Hot 
Buttered Blue Beans, please come to supper ! ” then 
told Birdie to give Alice Lee his hand, and take her 
out to the dining-room ; the others followed, two and 
two, and nurse and baby Alice brought up the rear. 
When they reached the next room, they all stood 
still, looking at the supper-table. It was evidently 
meant only for little people ; for at the head was a 
small tea-set of blue and white china, and plates to 
match were placed around the sides ; tempting little 
rolls, tiny pats of butter, and dainty slices of tongue, 
served for the substantial part of the meal ; while 
pretty little glass dishes held honey and preserves, 
and others were filled with nuts, oranges, and sugar- 
plums. But in the centre was the crown of all in 
the shape of a large cake, covered with white frost- 
ing, decorated with little flags, and surrounded by 


Birdies Birthday Pai'ty. 151 

tiny colored wax candles in little candlesticks, making 
a ring of golden light, which shone on the rosy faces 
and bright eyes of the happy children. Baby Alice 
crowed and clapped her hands, and there were ex- 
clamations of “ O, how pretty ! ” “ Is n’t it lovely ! ” 
and “ My ! but that ’s jolly ! ” Birdie was too much 
pleased and surprised to do anything but look at the 
table, especially the cake, with his round blue eyes, 
and think how splendid it was to have a birthday 
party. His mother asked Alice Lee to pour out the 
tea, and placed her at the head of the table ; then 
lifting Birdie into an arm-chair at the foot, she said, 
“You will have to be papa, and keep all the rest in 
order.” This made them all laugh, and as soon as 
they were in their places, they began to call him papa, 
and ask to be helped to butter, and so on. He per- 
formed his duties very nicely, with an air of business 
that looked odd on his rosy face ; and his father was 
much amused at the “ old head on young shoulders,” 
as he waited on his guests. 

Alice managed her department very well, and 


52 


Birdie s Birthday Party, 


made such good tea that they all took thi^ee cups, 
which kept her busy, and at last emptied the tea-pot ; 
for when she turned it up for herself, the lid was the 
only thing that went into her cup. Nancy hurried to 
her side, and, snatching up the tea-pot, said, “Shu re, 
thin, it ’s a shame for ye to have nothing but a lid for 
your tay. I ’ll git ye more in a minute, for the tay- 
kittle’s as full as a fiddle.” This speech was too 
much for Alice’s gravity, and in spite of her impor- 
tant position, she indulged in such a merry laugh, that 
she could hardly say, “ thank you,” when Nancy re- 
turned with the tea-pot well filled. Then they all 
had some honey and small cakes, and after that came 
the great event of cutting the large cake. The can- 
dles were almost burnt out, so they were removed, 
and the cake was placed before Birdie, his mamma 
saying, “Now you had better cut your cake, dear;” 
but he looked quite frightened at this new under- 
taking, and said, “ Oh, you do it, mamma.” 

His mother gave him a large knife, and said, 
“ Make the first cut, and I will do the rest ; ” so he 


153 


Birdie s Birthday Party. 

stuck the knife in, and then watched his kind mamma 
as she divided the cake, giving each of the children a 
slice. They were not long in tasting it, and finding 
out that it was as good as it looked. Then Grandma, 
aunties, and papa all had a slice, and said it was a 
very fine cake ; even the baby stretched out her little 
hands for a slice, and when her mamma gave her 
some, said, “ Goo ! goo ! ” 

At last, when all the good things had been enjoyed, 
and some nuts and candies packed in each little 
pocket, with Aunt Nellie’s help, “for to-morrow,” the 
children went back to their games, while the older 
guests took tea, and then joined the merry group in 
the parlor. Grandma advised them to keep quiet 
awhile, for fear they might take cold on the way 
home, from being overheated. Birdie at once 
thought of his favorite quiet amusement — story- 
telling, and said, “ Do tell us a story. Grandma, and 
we ’ll all be as quiet as mouses.'' The other children 
joined in this request, until Grandma could not refuse, 
and after they were all seated told them the story of 


154 


Birdie s Birthday Party, 


the “ Fountain Fairies/’ or the “ Giant and the Spring,” 
as Birdie called it, which pleased them all very much. 
Then Aunt Lizzie said, she must “gather up her 
chicks and be off ; ” and there followed a busy scene 
of wrapping up the little ones, and saying good-by. 
They all kissed Birdie, and said, they had had a 
splendid time ; and little Effie said, “ I wish you had 
a birfday party every day,” to which Birdie replied, 
“ I wish so too, Efhe.” Lottie and May, with Eddie 
and Elsie, stayed awhile longer, and became very 
good friends ; and Eddie said he was going to ask 
them all to his birthday party “ when next May came, 
and they ’d have lots o’ fun.” At last they all drove 
away, and the tired, but happy little boy climbed to 
Grandma’s knee for a rest, and said, “ Did you have 
a nice time. Grandma ? ” 

“Yes, dear. I love to see good children playing 
together; and you and your cousins were all so 
gentle and kind, that your party was very pleasant, 
even to me,” replied the grandmother. 

Birdie smiled joyfully, put up his mouth for a kiss, 


Birdie s Birthday Party. 


155 


then nestled down “ to think about it/' as he said ; 
but he was soon fast asleep, and was carried off to 
bed by Nancy, to dream of all the pleasures of his 
long-talked-of 

BIRTHDAY PARTY. 




THE WINTER FAIRIES. 



morning, when little Birdie opened his eyes 
and looked towards the window, he was sur- 
^ prised to see the trees before the house all 
stripped of their bright leaves, and covered with white 
feathers, as he thought. He jumped out of bed, and 
trotted to the window, in night-dress and bare feet, 
to look out, with wide blue eyes, at this new wonder 
that had come to pass. The feathers seemed to 
hang like wreaths on the brown trees, and the grass 
beneath was thickly strewn with them ; and Birdie 
saw the pretty soft things floating about in the air, so 
that he was highly delighted. 


56 



The Winter Fairies. 


157 


But he had not been there very long, when his 
mother called him to come back to bed, before Jack 
Frost pinched his little bare toes. 

The boy ran back, and cuddled down in his bed, 
which seemed very warm and comfortable ; but still 
he kept wondering what had happened in the night 
to make such a change out of doors. At last he 
said, Mamma, what time did you go to sleep last 
night ? ” 

“ At the usual time, dear,” answered his mamma. 
“ But why do you ask ? ” 

“ Why, somebody has tooken all the leaves off the 
trees, and dressed them up in white feathers,” said 
Birdie ; and maybe you saw who did it Tore you 
went to sleep, mamma.” 

His mother raised her head, and looked out at the 
trees, and then said, “Yes, King Winter has been 
here.” 

“ Did King Winter do that, mamma ? ” cried Birdie. 
“ Oh, do tell me how he hangs all the feathers on 
those high trees ; he must have a very long ladder.” 

14 


The Winter Fairies. 


158 

Then his mother said, laughing, “Ah, I see what 
you want. You are on the watch for a fairy story. 
Well, I will tell you a short one while the room gets 
warm.” 

The little boy was pleased to hear this, and gave 
his dear mamma a shower of kisses, “ for thank you,” 
and then begged her to go on with the story. 

So she began : “ King Winter lives in a very 

strong palace near the cold North Pole ; it is built of 
great blocks of thick ice, and all around it stand high, 
pointed icebergs ; and cross white bears keep guard 
at the gate. He has many little fairy servants to do 
his bidding ; and they are like their master, cross and 
spiteful, and seldom do any kind actions ; so that few 
are found to love them. King Winter is rich and 
powerful; but he keeps all his wealth so tightly locked 
up, that it does no one any good ; and, what is worse, 
he often tries to get the treasure of other persons, to 
add to the store in his money-chests. 

“ One day, when this selfish old king was walking 
through the wood, he saw the leaves thickly covered 


The Winter Fairies. 


159 


with gold and precious stones, which had been 
showered upon them by King Frost, to make the 
trees more beautiful, and give pleasure to all who saw 
them. But looking at them did not satisfy King 
Winter ; he wanted to have the gold for his own, and 
made up his mind to get it somehow ; and back he 
went to his palace, to call his servants home for this 
new work. As soon as he reached the gate, he blew 
a loud, shrill note on his horn, and in a few minutes 
his odd, little fairies came flying in, at the windows and 
doors, and stood before him, quietly waiting to hear 
his commands. The king ordered some to go out 
into the forest at nightfall, armed with canes and clubs, 
and to beat off all the golden and ruby leaves ; then 
he told others to take strong bags, and gather up all 
the treasure, and bring it to him. ‘ If that silly King 
Frost does not think any more of gold and precious 
stones than to waste them on trees, I will teach him 
better,' said the old king. 

“ The fairies promised to obey him, and as soon as 
night came, off they all rushed to the forest, and a 


i6o The Winter Fairies. 

terrible noise they made, flying from one beautiful 
tree to another, banging and beating the leaves off. 
Branches were cracking and falling on all sides, and 
leaves flying about, while the sound of shouting, 
laughing, and screaming told all who heard it, that 
the spiteful winter fairies were at some mischief 
The other fairies followed, and gathered up the poor, 
shattered leaves, cramming them roughly into the 
great bags they had brought, and taking them to 
King Winter’s palace, as fast as they were filled. 

“ This work was kept up nearly all night, and when 
morning came, the magic forest of many-colored 
leaves was changed into a dreary place. Bare trees 
stretched their long branches around, and seemed to 
shiver in the cold wind, and to sigh for the beautiful 
dress of shining leaves so rudely torn from them.” 

When little Birdie heard this, he was almost ready 
to cry, and said, “ I don’t like that winter man ; he ’s 
naughty ; but I ’ll give the poor trees my red dress to 
keep them warm.” 

His mother said he was a good boy, and she would 


The Winter Fairies. 


i6i 


tell him how naughty King Winter was disappointed. 
“You will soon be laughing again, when you hear 
what happened, my pet.” 

Then Birdie was satisfied, and his mother went on : 
“ King Winter was very much pleased, as one great 
sack after another was tugged in by the fairies ; and 
when morning came, he called his servants together, 
and said, ‘You have all worked well, my friends, and 
have saved much treasure from being wasted ; I will 
now open these bags, and show you the gold, giving 
you each, a share for yourselves.’ The king then 
took up the sack nearest to him, and, turning it upside 
down, gave it a shake. The fairies looked on eagerly ; 
but what was their surprise, when out rushed a great 
heap of brown leaves, which flew all over the floor, and 
half choked them with dust. When the king saw this, 
he growled with rage, and looked at the fairies with 
a dark frown on his face. They begged him to look 
at the next sack ; but when he did so, it too was 
found full of brown leaves, instead of gold and pre- 
cious stones. This was too much for King Winter’s 


14 


The Winter Fairies, 


162 

patience. He tossed the bags, one by one, out of 
the palace windows, and Avoiild have tossed the un- 
lucky fairies after them, had not some of the bravest 
ones knelt down, and asked for mercy, telling him 
they had obeyed his orders, and if King Frost had 
taken back his treasure, they were not to blame. 
This turned their master’s anger against King Frost, 
and very angry and fierce he was. He gnashed his 
great teeth with rage, and rushed up and down in his 
palace until it shook again. At last he made up his 
mind to go out that night, break down King Frost’s 
beautiful palace, and take away all his riches. Just 
see. Birdie, how he went from one wicked thing to 
another. He began by wishing for what belonged to 
some one else, and at last was willing to fight and 
steal to get it. I hope my little boy will always be 
satisfied with his own toys and books, and never wish 
for, or try to get, other children’s.” 

Birdie promised he would never “ do such a ‘ bad 
behavior,’ ” which was a favorite expression of his, 
and then asked to hear more of the story. 


The Winter Fairies. 


163 

“Well, when night came, King Winter started out 
with all his fairies. Some were armed with the clubs 
they had beaten off the leaves with ; and others had 
lumps of ice to throw at their enemies ; but the king 
had been so angry all day, that he had not told them 
what to do, and had left their sharp spears locked up. 
He wrapped himself in his great, white cloak of 
swan’s down, that he might look very grand ; and so 
they went on their way. 

“ King Frost lived on the other side of the wood, 
and he had heard all the noise made by the winter 
fairies in spoiling the trees, and had seen the next 
morning the mischief they had done. It made him 
very sorry to find the beautiful leaves all knocked off 
and taken away, and he determined to punish King 
Winter for his mean and wicked conduct, by going 
to attack his palace that very night. 

“ He spent the day making ready for battle, 
dressing himself and his servants in shining coats of 
ice-armor, and giving each one several spears and 
darts of ice tipped with sharp diamond-points ; so 
that they looked like brave little soldiers. 


The Winter Fairies, 


164 

‘‘The tv;o armies met in the midst of the great 
wood, and after some words between the kings, their 
servants fell to blows, and a great battle they had. 
The winter fairies fought with their clubs, and threw 
balls of ice at their enemies ; but their clubs were 
weak, from being used so roughly the night before, 
and soon broke ; and when their ice-balls were all 
thrown away, they could find no more. But King 
Frost had armed his servants well, and they threw 
their sharp darts among the winter fairies, and dashed 
at them with their spears, wounding a great many. 
The trees, too, seemed to fight against the cruel fairies; 
the bare twigs pulled their hair, and scratched their 
eyes ; and the branches tripped them up, and thumped 
them well, whenever they could. 

“ So the winter fairies had the worst of it, as those 
who fight in a bad cause always do ; and at last they 
started off, full speed, and rushed through the wood, 
never stopping till they got back to their palace, and 
shut themselves in, leaving their king, who was too 
proud to run, all alone with his enemies. You may 




KING WINTER AND THE FROST 


FAIRIES —Paze 

o 


lbs. 



The Winter Fairies. 


165 

be sure they were not very merciful, but all rushed 
at the mean, old fellow at once. Some threw darts 
at him ; others tried to trip him up ; and a host of the 
little things began to pull at his cloak, screaming out, 
‘Give us your cloak to keep our trees warm! You 
stole their pretty leaves. You must give us your 
cloak.' 

“ Now this was a magic cloak, and had been given 
to King Winter by the queen of the fairies ; so, when 
he felt his enemies pulling at it, he wrapped it tightly 
around him, and began to run. After him flew his 
foes, pulling and plucking at his great white cloak, 
snatching out a bit, here and there, and laughing and 
shouting, while King Winter howled and roared, and 
rushed along, not knowing where he went. On, on, 
they flew ; up and down the wood, in and out among 
the trees, their way marked by the scattered bits of 
white down, from the king’s cloak. It was not until 
day began to dawn, that King Winter found himself 
near his own palace, when, in despair, he dashed his 
tattered cloak to the ground, and rushed through the 


The Winter Fairies, 


1 66 

gate, shaking his fist at King Frost, though speechless 
with rage. 

“ The brave frost fairies took the cloak as a prize ; 
and as they went home through the wood, they hung 
beautiful wreaths of the white down on all the trees, 
and placed upon the branches their broken spears 
and darts, which shone like silver in the sunlight, and 
made the wood look almost as bright, as before it had 
been robbed of its golden and ruby leaves. Even 
the ground was covered with shining darts and white 
feathers ; and every one thought it was very beautiful, 
and very wonderful, and could not tell how it hap- 
pened. The people must have heard the noise of the 
battle, and the shrill screams of the fairies, as they 
followed King Winter to and fro ; but I suppose they 
thought it was only the wind blowing and whistling 
through the trees, for I never knew any one who had 
watched this wonderful battle, except the one who 
told me all about it.” 

“ Oh, who told you, mamma ; how did you hear it 
all ? ” cried Birdie, very earnestly. 


The Winter Fairies. 


167 

“Oh, a ^little bircF told niei' his mother answered, 
smiling ; “ and I thought you would like to hear it. 
But now we must not talk any longer, dear, but 
must hurry, to be ready in time for breakfast ; and 
afterwards we can take a look at the ‘ white feathers ’ 
on the grass, and see if they will do to make you a 
cloak.” 

“ I don’t believe they will,” replied Birdie ; “ but 
they might do to make a cushion for my little chair.” 
And sure enough, after breakfast. Birdie brought in 
a panful of the feathers, and tried to shape them 
into a cushion for his arm-chair, and was very much 
surprised to find them all “run away,” until he had 
only a panful of water left. Just then, however, his 
father came in, to take him out for a sleigh-ride ; and 
he was soon well wrapped up, and packed in among 
the buffalo-robes, and looked very happy as he rode 
off, with the bells jingling merrily, and the horse 
prancing gayly along. 


The Winter Fairies, 


1 68 


PART SECOND. 


HEN Birdie and his father came home, they 



V V found mamma and grandmamma sitting by a 
bright fire, with their sewing ; both looking so warm 
and comfortable, that they could hardly believe it was 
bitter cold, out of doors ; but when they felt Birdie’s 
cold hands, and saw his purple cheeks, and found that 
it was hard work for him to keep back the tears, they 
began to rub his hands, and try to cheer him up. 

His mother said his cheeks “ looked as if the cross 
winter fairies had been pinching them ; ” and that 
perhaps “ they were angry at him for having a nice 
sleigh-ride over the snow, while they had to fly about 
in the cold.” And Birdie soon began to smile like a 
brave boy, and say “ he did n’t mind the bad fairies, 
hardly a bit I' 

Grandma said his cheeks were like frozen peaches, 
and almost too cold for her to kiss ; ” but for all that, 
she took him on her knee, and kissed him many times. 


The Winter Fairies, 169 

until he was quite warm again. Then she said, “ It 
is a splendid snow for Santa Claus and his sleigh- 
full of toys, to come on ; in a few more days he will 
be here ; ” and this made Birdie ask a dozen questions 
about Santa Claus, which patient Grandma answered 
pleasantly ; and when his mother told him to go and 
play with his toys, Grandma said, “ I will read you, to- 
night, a story of a little boy. Birdie, who took a ride 
with Santa Claus ; that is, if you are good all day.” 

Birdie tried to be very good, and when evening 
came, his kind Grandma read aloud the story called 

A RIDE WITH SANTA CLAUS. 

One snowy day a little boy named Fred, 

With bright blue eyes, red cheeks, and curly head, 

Was hopping round the room, among his toys. 

His new boots making “lots of jolly noise; ” 

And he was singing, “ Christmas soon will come, 

And Santa Claus will bring a ball or drum.” 

His kind old nurse smiled at his childish glee. 

And taking him upon her aproned knee, 

*5 


170 


The Winter Fairies. 


Said, “Let me tell you, Freddy, what I’ve heard; 
If any child will watch, without a word. 

And catch St. Nick at work on Christmas day. 

He ’s bound to take him riding in his sleigh.” 

The blue eyes danced with wonder and delight. 

As Freddy questioned, “Will he come to-night?” 
And being answered, “ In a day or two,” 

He trotted off to think what he should do ; 

And nurse, glad of the quiet, dozed again. 
Unwitting of the mischief set in train. 

On Christmas Eve the stockings all were hung 
Around the chimney ; Christmas hymns were sung 
And then the little ones were tucked in bed. 

And went to sleep — all but the monkey Fred 
His eyes were open wide, and watchful kept, 

Until quite certain that his brothers slept. 

Then slipping from his bed by slow degrees 
He gained the hearth-rug, crawling on his knees; 
And putting on his clothes in silent haste. 

His skating-cap upon his head he placed. 

And stretched himself close to the chimney wide, 
To watch for Santa Claus, and claim a ride. 


The Winter Fairies, 


171 


The time passed on, and soon Fred was aware 
Of jingling sleigh-bells in the upper air ; 

Then close beside him old Kriss seemed to stand, 
Filling the stockings with a liberal hand. 

Fred laughed with joy, and merrily he cried, 

I ’ve caught you, Kriss ; now let me have a ride.” 

No sooner said than done ; they seemed to rise. 
And found upon the roof, ’neath starry skies, 

A sleigh packed full of toys, and drawn by deer, 
Who pranced and pawed to see a stranger near. 

“ Now jump in, Fred, and bundle up your knees,’* 
Said Santa Claus, “unless you want to freeze.” 

Strange sights saw Fred upon that Christmas ride ! 
At some he laughed, at some he almost cried ; 

The rich man’s home was pleasant to behold. 

Stored well with every comfort bought by gold ; 
And Santa Claus, while there, seemed growing hot. 
In hunting “something, that those boys had not 

Each warm sock filled, a Christmas-tree was decked. 
Old Santa saying, “ Soon ’twill all be wrecked,” 
With comic sorrow ; then away they sped 
To where the wind was howling round a shed, 


172 


The Winter Fairieis, 


And snow was drifting in the shaking door ; 

Fred ne’er had seen such wretchedness before. 

Within, five children huddled in a heap, 

With tear-stained faces, shivered in their sleep ; 

No stockings hung upon the chimney nail ; 

No tree was there ; but, in a broken pail, 

A spray of ivy bore a note which said, 

** Dear Santa Claus, please bring us all some bread.’* 

A tear in Kriss’s eye found resting-place, 

And Freddy’s fists crept very near his face; 

Till, roused to action by this scene of woe, 

He whispered to his leader, soft and low. 

Give them the toys and candy meant for me. 

And let us dress them up a Christmas-tree.” 

Then Santa Claus gave him a loving look. 

And from the sleigh brought top, and ball, and book, 
And heaped the table with a goodly load 
Of Christmas cheer ; the ruddy apples glowed, 

A turkey plump upheld a huge mince-pie. 

And in the fireplace, wood was piled up high. 

Fred’s joy was great to see this pleasant sight. 

He gave a shout ! when suddenly, ’t was night ! 


The Winter Fairies, 


173 


He was at home, and lying on the floor, 

And nurse was coming in the open door ; 

He sprang in bed, and held his frightened breath. 

While nurse said, “ Child, you ’ll surely catch your death.” 

No word spoke Fred of all that he had seen ; 

Only mamma the wondrous tale could glean. 

But when he said, ** Please, let me give some toys 
And candy to the widow Thomson’s boys,” 

She gave consent, while to herself she sighed, 

** ’T were well if all with Santa Claus could ride.” 

A few days after this. Grandma went home ; but 
before she left, she gave Birdie a copy of the verses 
about Santa Claus, and he persuaded his mother to 
read them so often, that he learned them himself, and 
could soon repeat them very nicely. 

15* 




THE CHRISTMAS FAIRIES. 



Sis Christmas drew near, Birdie had many 
questions to ask about it, for it was the first 
Christmas-day he could remember, and he 
wanted to know whether Kriss Kringle would “ surely 
come in a little sleigh, and fill his stocking ? ” 

One day he trotted over the house, up-stairs and 
down, looking at all the chimney-places, to see if they 
were large enough for Kriss Kringle to come down. 
He was afraid they were all too small, and told his 
mother so, with a very sad face ; but she sent him to 
look at the kitchen chimney, which was so wide and 
high, that he was delighted, and ran to his mother, 

* 174 


The Christmas Fairies, 


175 


saying, “ Oh, mamma ! Kriss can come down the 
kitchen chimney, and bring a great big pack of toys.” 

That evening little Birdie climbed up on his mother’s 
knee, and begged for a story before he went to bed. 
“ Don’t you know somesin’ about fairies who come at 
Christmas, mamma ? ” he said, roguishly. 

His mother kissed his red lips, and said she would 
tell him a short story, because he had been a very 
good boy all day. So she began : “ Once upon a time, 
all the children in the world had been so good, that 
Kriss Kringle had more work to do than he could well 
manage. He had lots of toys to buy, and a great 
many trees to dress ; and then he had to go to every 
house the night before Christmas, and fill every 
stocking ; so the dear old man thought he would be 
quite tired out, unless he could get some help. 

“ But one cold day, about a week before Christmas, 
as he was working away at some trees, he heard a 
little knock, low down on his door; and, when he 
opened it, who do you think he saw ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” said Birdie ; “ who was it ? ” 


176 


The Christmas Fairies, 


“ Why, it was a little man, dressed all in brown, and 
only a foot high ; and behind him were a great troop 
of little fellows just like him. 

“ Kriss Kringle was greatly surprised at this sight, 
and stared at his strange visitor without saying a 
word. But the little man did not mind that in the 
least ; off came his pointed cap, and with a low bow, 
he said, ‘ How do you do, Mr. Kriss Kringle ? we 
have come to help you do the work this Christmas.’ 

“ ‘ Oh, indeed ! ’ said Kriss Kringle ; ‘ you are very 
kind, my friends. Come in, and let us have a talk 
about it.’ Then he led the little people into his 
house ; but there was such a troop of them, that he 
had not chairs for all, and was going to bring in some 
more seats, when they said, ' Don’t trouble yourself, 
Mr. Kriss, we can easily find room ; ’ and then some 
sat on the backs of the chairs, and some climbed up 
and sat in the trees Kriss Kringle had been fixing for 
Christmas ; while a few spread out their cloaks, and 
seemed to fly up to the high mantel-shelf, where they 
sat in a row, laughing and nodding, and looking v^ry 
comical. 


The Christmas Fairies, 


177 


“ When they were all quiet, and Kriss Kringle had 
seated himself in his arm-chair, and taken his pipe, 
the leader of the fairies, (who was on the mantel- 
shelf,) said, ‘Now, Mr. Kriss, what can we do for 
you?’ Then he went on to say, ‘We have put the 
flowers to sleep for the winter, and wrapped up the 
leaves in warm coats until spring ; and we are tired 
of living under ground, and counting gold dust, or 
playing pitch-and-toss with diamonds ; so we want 
to go with you and see the world.’ And the funny 
little man made a very droll face, and danced a few 
steps of the ‘ Highland Fling,’ on the mantel-piece. 

“ Kriss Kringle laughed aloud at his antics, and 
said, ‘Well, friend, I shall be glad of help, if you will 
promise to obey me.’ He then told them of all there 
was to be done, and said, if they would be industrious, 
and help him dress all the trees, and tie up toys and 
sugar-plums, he would take them out in his sleigh the 
night before Christmas, and they could help him fill 
the stockings. When the fairies heard this, they 
were very much pleased, and tossed up their caps, 
M 


178 


The Christmas Fairies, 


and shouted, ‘ Hurrah for Kriss Kringle ; he ’s a jolly 
old elf ; ’ and all agreed to work hard to get ready 
for Christmas. And so they did ; and I ’ve heard 
that the trees were very beautiful that year, and the 
stockings very well filled. 

“ It was really wonderful, too, how many good chil- 
dren found a bright gold piece in the toe of their 
stockings. And what do you suppose the naughty 
ones found? A hard turnip, or a big potato, just 
when they thought they had an orange or an apple. 
The fairies are very wise, you know, my child,” said 
Birdie’s mamma. 

And the little boy nodded, and answered, “Yes, 
indeed, they are so ; but I will try to be good, and 
then they won’t put metatoes in my stockin’.” Then 
our little friend gave his kind mamma a good-night 
kiss, and trotted off to bed, talking all the way about 
the fairies. 

The next day was the one before Christmas, and 
Birdie tried to be a very good boy ; his “ goodness ” 
was, to obey his mother quickly, to be kind to the cat, 


The Christmas Fairies. 


179 


and not to get angry if his blocks or toys fell down. 
Well, on this day, he tried very hard to be good, and 
succeeded so well, that at dusk his mamma said, she 
would have to tell Kriss Kringle about it. So she 
took Birdie by the hand, led him out to the kitchen, 
and called up the chimney, “ Kriss Kringle ! Birdie 
has been very good. Please bring him some pretty 
toys in your sleigh.” 

“ And a tree ! ” said Birdie, as loud as he could. 

Soon they heard a gruff voice, saying, “Yes, ma’am ! 
Yes, sir ! I ’ll remember Birdie ; ” and then there was 
a sound of sleigh-bells, as if Kriss had been listening 
to Birdie, and was going on again. 

This rather surprised the little boy ; but Nancy told 
him, Kriss Kringle often went to different houses, to 
see if the children there had been good, before he 
came with the toys. 

Then Birdie and his mother went back to the par- 
lor ; and as he climbed up to his favorite seat on his 
dear mamma’s knee, she said, “ Now we can have a 
nice talk until bed-time.” 


i8o 


The Christmas Fairies, 


“Oh, yes,*’ said the child; “let’s talk about 
Christmas.” 

“Very well, dear. I will tell you why we have a 
Christmas-day. Many years ago, there was no such 
day. The little children did not hang up their stock- 
ings, or find pretty trees by their beds when they 
awoke,” the mother said, gently. 

“ How funny ! ” exclaimed Birdie. “ I am glad I 
was not here then. How did they find out about it, 
mamma ? ” 

“Listen, and you shall hear about the first Christmas. 
It was in a country across the sea, far away from here, 
that some shepherds were watching their flocks, one 
night ; the sheep were resting on the grass, the little 
lambs were fast asleep beside their mothers ; but the 
kind shepherds were not asleep, but were watching 
that no harm should come to the sheep. 

“ Perhaps they were looking at the stars, and talk- 
ing of the ‘ happy land ’ above them, when suddenly 
there appeared a wonderful light in the sky, brighter 
than moon or stars, as if the sky had opened, and 


Tht Christmas Fairies, i8i 

they saw the glory within. While the shepherds 
looked up, wondering what was the cause of that 
strange light, a beautiful, shining angel came near 
them, and said : ‘ Fear not ; I bring you good tidings,’ 
(or good news,) ‘ which shall be to all people. This 
day is born a Saviour, and ye shall find the babe lying 
in a manger.’ And suddenly the angel was joined 
by a multitude of the heavenly host, singing praises 
to God. This was their song : — 

“ ‘ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
good-will towards men.* 

“ When the angels were gone back to heaven, the 
shepherds said they would go to Bethlehem, and see 
this Saviour of whom the angels sang. 

“They went with haste, and found him, — a little 
babe, — in a stable, with no cradle to lie in, only a 
manger for his bed. That little babe was Jesus, the 
Son of God, who left his beautiful, heavenly home, 
and the praises of angels, and became a child, to bless 
and save little children, and make all men good and 
happy, so that at last they might be in heaven with 

i6 


i 82 


The Christmas Fairies, 


him. His birthday was the first Christmas-day ; and 
ever since that time we keep that day as a joyful and 
happy one, and send gifts to one another, to remind 
us of the great and precious gift of Jesus.” 

When his mother had finished this true story, little 
Birdie sat still for awhile, thinking ; but soon he looked 
up, and asked “if Jesus had any Christmas gifts?” 

“No, my child,” said his mamma; “Jesus came as 
a poor babe. His mother loved him, but she was 
very poor, and had nothing to give him.” 

“ I would give him some of my Christmas gifts,” 
said Birdie, “ if he was here now.” 

“Well, dear, you can still do that; and I wish you 
would,” said his mother, earnestly. 

“ Why, how, mamma ? ” exclaimed the little boy, 
looking very much puzzled. “ I can’t get up to the 
sky to take them ; even if I stood on the top of a big, 
high tree, I don’t think I could touch the sky.” 

“ No, darling, I don’t think you could,” answered 
his mamma, smiling kindly ; “ but when our Saviour 
went back to heaven, he left the poor on earth for us 


The Christmas Fairies, 


1S3 


to take care of, and said any kindness done to them 
was the same as doing it to him ; so, if you will give 
some of your Christmas gifts to the poor children at 
the Lodge, it will please Jesus as much as if you gave 
him something.” 

“Well, I will,” said Birdie. “Let’s tell the chil- 
drens to come here to-morrow, and not tell them what 
for ; and when they see the tree, and I give them all 
some toys to keep, won’t they be disprised?" and the 
happy child laughed, as he thought of the poor chil- 
dren’s surprise and pleasure. 

Then Birdie’s mamma sang him some Christmas 
hymns, which are no doubt well known to my little 
friends; one hymn was, “While Shepherds Watched 
their Flocks by Night,” which Birdie could understand 
better now, after hearing the story of the first Christ- 
mas day; another hymn, or carol, rather, was “We 
Three Kings of Orient are ; ” and another was a 

CHRISTMAS HYMN FOR CHILDREN. 

Sing, ye children, sweetly sing, 

Welcome to your infant King ! 


184 


The Christmas Fairies. 

This the season, this the hour, 
When He left His state and power 
For a stable and a stall. 

Stooping low to save us all ; 

Sing, ye children, sweetly sing, 
Welcome to your infant King ! 

Coldly blows the frosty blast. 
Winter binds the flow’ rets fast. 
Birds have fled the leafless spray, 
But our songs shall greet His day ; 
In His house shall living green 
Blend with berries’ coral sheen. 
Making summer while we sing 
Welcome to our infant King ! 

Day of gladness, day of mirth. 
When we hail the Saviour’s birth, 
And He looks with loving smile 
On our homage all the while ; 
Every blessing of our land 
Flows from that once baby hand. 
Then let little children sing 
Welcome to our infant King ! 


The ChHstmas Fairies, 


185 


By the time these hymns were finished, Birdie was 
so sleepy that he could not wait to see his papa, who 
had not yet come in ; but taking a nice bowl of bread 
and milk by the parlor fire, he went off to bed early, 
to give “ Kriss Kringle plenty of time to fill his 
stocking very full, ’way up to the top.” 

Christmas morning came very soon to the little boy, 
for he slept soundly, and was ready to awake at the 
first peep of day ; and what do you think was the first 
thing he did ? 

“ Why, he looked for his stocking, I think,” says 
little Bright Eyes. Yes, to be sure he did, and soon 
found it hanging at the foot of his bed ; but it had 
grown so long and heavy, that he could hardly lift it. 
At last he dragged it up to his pillow, sat himself 
down, and began pulling out the toys with which it 
was filled. First came a whip, then a nice, large ball ; 
next a doll, for he liked dolls, though he was a boy ; 
after that he found three or four picture-books, with 
brightly colored plates, which Birdie stopped to 
look at with delight; then a “horn” of sugar-plums; 


i86 


The Christmas Fairies. 


a dear little hammer ; and down in the foot of this 
wonderful stocking, a rosy apple, an orange, and a 
red silk purse, with “ a gold penny ” in it ! By 
this time his shouts of joy had aroused his mother, 
who looked at all his treasures with him, and said she 
thought Kriss Kringle had been very kind to her little 
boy. 

“ And the fairies too,” exclaimed Birdie. “ Look at 
this ! ” And he held up the purse, with the gold piece 
shining through it; “but I didn’t find any 'tatoes in 
my stockin’, so I guess the fairies like me, mamma ; 
and I like them, and old Kriss Kringle too,” added 
Birdie, hugging his full stocking in his arms ; for 
while he had been talking, his mother had helped 
him to put his toys in again. Then the kind 
mother dressed her happy child in a warm, new suit 
of blue cloth, (with “lots o’ gold buttons,” Birdie said,) 
telling him that it was “ her Christmas gift to him ; ” 
and soon afterwards they went down to breakfast, 
the stocking, with its load of toys, hanging from 
Birdie’s hand, and going “ bump, bump,” as it followed 


The Christmas Fairies, 


187 


him down the stairs. They found papa waiting for 
them, before a blazing wood-fire, and he wished 
Birdie a “Merry Christmas,” and gave him a toss 
and a dozen kisses ; and then everything in that 
stocking was shown to papa, who seemed so much 
surprised that Birdie was delighted, and said, “ Don’t 
you wish you were a little boy, to get your stocking 
full ? ” 

After breakfast they all went into the parlor, and 
there, on the table, stood the prettiest Christmas- 
tree. Its branches were hung with shining toys, 
bright red apples, cakes and candies, golden nuts, 
flags, and everything pretty ! In fact, it was just like 
the one you will find in your parlor next Christmas, 
little Blue Eyes, if you are a very good child all the 
year. 

When Birdie saw it, he danced for joy, and ran all 
around the tree, looking at the wonderful fruit that 
grew upon it, and saying, “Oh! I’m so glad Kriss 
Kringle brought me one of his trees. I was ’fraid 
he’d forget it!” At the foot of the tree he saw a 


The Christmas Fairies. 


1 88 

new, large, Noah’s Ark ; a strong wooden cart ; a new 
box of blocks ; a tin horse, and some more beautiful 
large picture-books ; and after awhile he discovered a 
doll, with a box of wooden furniture beside her. His 
blue eyes grew larger and brighter than ever, at each 
new sight, and presently he said, All these pretty 
things for me, mamma ? I think Kriss Kringle must 
have upset his sleigh down our big chimney.” 

“ He has brought you a great many toys, dear,” 
replied his mother ; but perhaps he thinks you will 
not keep them all yourself. Do you remember what 
you said last night, about giving some toys to the 
children at the Lodge ? ” 

“ Oh, surely enough ! ” exclaimed Birdie. “ I wish 
those children would come ! ” 

Just then there was a knock at the door. Birdie 
ran to open it, and there stood three little children ; 
they had clean, red and white faces, and clean, blue 
and white aprons, and they began to say “ Merry 
Christmas, ma’am,” but were so pleased and surprised 
when they saw the beautiful tree, that they could not 


The Christmas Fairies. 189 

finish their greetings ; they could only look at all the 
pretty toys, and smile with delight. But Birdie did 
not let them stand still very long ; he led them up to 
the tree, and took them all around it, showing them 
the playthings on it, and talking as fast as he could. 
Then he showed them everything in his stocking, and 
asked if Kriss Kringle had filled theirs. Mary, the 
eldest girl, said they had hung up their stockings, and 
found candy and apples in them, but no toys ; and 
Susan added, rather sadly, Mother says our chimney 
is too little, for the pack of toys to come down.” 

Then Birdie ran to his mamma, and whispered, 
“ You tell ’em Kriss brought some toys here for ’em.” 

“ Very well, darling,” was the reply ; and going to 
the tree. Birdie’s mother took the doll and gave it to 
Mary, and put the box of furniture into Susan’s hand, 
saying, “Kriss Kringle brought these for you, and 
left them here; our chimney is so large, he had 
plenty of room for his bundle of toys.” 

The little girls looked very much pleased, and said, 
“ Thank ye, ma’am ; they ’re mighty pretty.” 


190 The Christmas Fairies. 

Then Birdie said, “Now give Johnny somesin’ nice, 
mamma ; ” at the same time pulling the shy little boy 
towards the tree. 

“Shall I give him this cart. Birdie?” asked his 
father, holding up the strong, wooden one. Now 
Birdie had long wished for just such a cart, or “a 
’spress wagon,” as he called it, and would rather 
have given away something else ; but just then his 
mother whispered, “ It is the same as giving to 
Jesus, my child;” so he said, “Yes, papa; give it to 
Johnny.” 

His father handed it to the little boy, who was too 
much delighted to say anything, but who began at 
once to draw the cart slowly along the floor, and to 
“ play horse ” for it. Birdie gave a little sigh, but 
felt glad to see Johnny so happy, and was taking up 
his new whip to “ play driver,” when his father said, 
^ Where is that gold dollar of yours, my boy ? ” 

“ Here it is, papa,” answered Birdie, pulling the 
purse out of his pocket. 

“Now,” continued his father, “you are such a gen- 


The Christmas Fairies, 


191 

erous little boy, you would like to give these children 
a piece of this gold dollar, would you not ? ” 

‘‘ Why, yes, I would,” said the child, earnestly, “ if 
I could only break it. My new hammer is strong. 
I ’ll just run and get it ; ” and he turned away to look 
for his hammer. 

But his father called him back, saying, “ See here, 
I ’ve broken it for you ; ” and when Birdie looked on 
the table, he saw a row of four, shining, silver pieces 
where he had left his gold one. 

“ There is a piece for each of you,” said his father. 
But Birdie was very much puzzled, and could not 
understand how his gold penny was broken into four 
such large, bright, “ silver pennies ; ” and after think- 
ing it over for some time, said, “ I guess you must be 
a great big fairy, papa.” 

Then he gave a silver penny to each of the chil- 
dren, and put the last one into his little, red purse, 
and felt very rich, as he stowed it away in his pocket. 

The little visitors stayed to dinner, and had a 
splendid play with Birdie’s toys, both new and old ; 


192 


The Christmas Fairies, 


and enjoyed their Christmas dinner of roast turkey, 
mince-pie, and other “ goodies very much, and then 
went home, carrying a basket full of treasures. 

One more wonderful thing happened on Birdie’s 
Christmas-day. When they went into the parlor 
after dinner, there, under the tree, stood another 
strong, wooden cart, exactly like Johnny’s. In it was 
a paper, on which was written, “ Kriss Kringle sends 
this to a generous little boy.” 

Birdie was surprised and delighted, and said, “ Kriss 
was the goodest man in the whole world! ” and then 
he ran to the kitchen-chimney, and shouted up, “Thank 
you, kind Mr. Kriss, for all my nice toys.” 

“You’re very welcome. I like good boys,” an- 
swered a gruff voice. 

So you see, dear little readers, that Birdie had “ A 
Merry Christmas,” because he was good and gen- 
erous ; and wishing you all, the same. Birdie will now 
bid you good-by. 


THE END. 




1901. 


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